Threads of Fate
by Voyager Wisp
Summary: Red threads of fate connect all those that have an impact on each other, for better or worse. Still trying to understand their connections to each other, Jessie and James travel with other Team Rocket members to Kalos. A pokemon native to there can not only see but manipulate those threads. Fate is anything but certain. Jessie/James
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes_

 _I'm finally ready to start posting this. I've been working on it since last year, and thinking about working on it since XY started more or less._

 _This is a canon (more or less) divergent AU, diverging sometime around the end of episode N. It gives the characters a different Kalos experience. Honedge and evolutions play a major part. I realize they were in the first XY movie, but I haven't even seen it yet and could portray the pokemon species very differently than the actual anime series does. Oh well._

 _Fair warning in advance for a love triangle of sorts._

* * *

 **Threads of Fate**

 **1**

They often hugged to celebrate. And why not? It was almost innate to James, rushing over to Jessie during an outburst of emotion, whether positive or negative. Just having her physically close to him heightened his joy, or comforted him as he fretted. Besides, it wasn't as if he were forcing this interaction. Jessie seemed to have the same reflex, so they were in each others arms instantly during various situations. Touching Jessie was just natural.

They'd done so less since arriving in Unova, however, there were reasons for that. After a long stretch of bad luck they were finally on the boss's good side. They were involved in his major plans for the first time since the St. Anne disaster, more or less. More team members were involved, and the boss checked up on them more and more. So of course, when Jessie turned away from him when they'd been given the order to go to Unova, he knew the reason, and adjusted, just standing tall next to her.

They were elite, after all. They had a job to do, and a professional appearance to maintain while doing it. James controlled his impulses, not acting on them as he'd started to do without even thinking about. Their entire group had to show pride in their work, and maybe various public displays of affection wouldn't reflect that.

But they all had to come together when they'd finally defeated Team Plasma. Well, with a little help that James didn't feel he'd even have to mention when he drew up the report for the boss. When they were alone, deciding to go back home with yet another success, James hugged Jessie, and even Meowth joined in as they all gave a happy shout together.

He didn't want to pull away, even as Meowth hopped off their shoulder and began going through their bag. James thought he saw Jessie's face flush red, then moved closer before touching her forehead. "Are you alright, Jessie?" he asked.

"I'm fine, James," Jessie said. As she pulled away, James let go, studying her closer, because even if she wasn't sick, there was something off about her.

"One of you two find that computer so I can type up that report," Meowth said, focusing the attention on it.

"I already finished it," James informed.

"Oh, no way!" Meowth said, pointing at James accusingly. "You're not gonna let the report go without input from the rest of us. Right Jess?"

Jessie shrugged, looking away. "I don't care. James's other recent reports seem to go over well enough at headquarters."

"Well, you can bet I care! I want to make sure the boss knows just how valuable we are and just what he needs to do with us from here," Meowth said.

"Fine, Meowth. Why don't you look over everything then?" James suggested. As his friend hesitantly nodded, James took out the laptop, getting what he'd thought was the final draft on the screen. Meowth sat, absorbed in it, even as they finished dinner, fed the other pokemon, and the sun set.

"You done yet, Meowth?" Jessie asked loudly as she sat with James, just staring at him and kicking some rocks.

"Not until everything just purrfect," Meowth muttered.

Jessie sighed, again shrugging as she returned her two pokemon to their pokeballs. She turned to James. "Hey," she began, then looked down as she spoke to him. "Want to turn in then?"

"Sure," James said. He'd just been daydreaming mostly as he watched his pokemon play. He returned them as well, and then stood up, walking over to the tent with her. As they got in together, James turned around, making himself comfortable.

Just as he closed his eyes, Jessie spoke. "Hey, James?" she said softly.

"Yes, Jessie?" James said, turning around and facing her. Just as he did, he noticed that strange expression that he couldn't quite place. Jessie's face wrinkled up, and she turned on her back, gazing upward. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" James asked as he observed her.

"I'm just fine," Jessie said, her typical terse tone convincing him of her words. Her expression soon lightened though, and she even looked a bit concerned. "Hey, James, I'm just wondering... Why did things change between us?"

"What? Nothing changed though, right?" James said.

"Don't play dumb," Jessie said, frowning as she gripped the blanket that was shared between them. Looking back at James's face, Jessie frowned, then chuckled, before turning and trying to hide her laugh.

"Jessie?" James said with concern.

"It's not an act, is it?" Jessie said.

James's eyes widened as he remained silent, unsure of what to say. He wished he knew just what was on her mind, and didn't want to spoil the good mood by reacting to her words, though he did feel a little hurt at the implications. "Um..." he began, struggling for some words.

Jessie continued the conversation for him. "Just think about it, then maybe you'll know what I'm talking about. Just now... I can't remember the last time we... Um, acted like that, though we used to all the time."

"You mean hugged?" James said. He thought he was imagining things in the dim moonlight that peeked into the tent, but it almost looked like Jessie was blushing at his words. Would she be embarrassed at all, just with a topic like that? "It's something else, right? I mean, you know why we don't do that much anymore, right?"

"Why don't you just tell me," Jessie muttered loudly.

"We, um, well, we needed to be more professional. It's not the right time or place for something like that," James said.

"Oh," Jessie said. A silence followed. "I get it now, James. I'm just wondering though, would there be a right time and place for something like that?"

"Yes, of course," James said. "Like just now. And plenty of other times, really. I didn't stop because I didn't like you."

"So you do like me?" Jessie said.

"Ah... Yes," James said after a pause, though he wasn't at all hesitant in that fact. Jessie had been his partner for so long, and he didn't know what he'd do without her. It was just Jessie even asking it seemed strange, and he couldn't quite piece together the context of what she asked. Had he ever acted like he hated her or something? Well, it wasn't as if they'd never fought. James began to think back on those times. Maybe he'd said something in a more recent fight that she'd really taken to heart. But all he could remember doing was trying to get her to finally do her share of whatever menial task he'd gotten tired of that day.

"I like you too," Jessie said after her own a moment of pause, in a soft but sweet voice that dissolved James of his worry. "And as far as times and places go... Right now, we've finished all of our work. Meowth isn't going to bother us for a while, it looks like. So we're alone. It seems like a good time and place to me. What about you?"

"A time and place for what? Hugging?" James said.

"And maybe a little bit more," Jessie said.

James felt his own face flush, though he wasn't sure why. He did like the idea of cuddling up close to her. He liked it even more as he thought about it further. His heart started to beat faster, and he swallowed nervously, though he soon convinced himself that he wasn't nervous at all. It was just Jessie after all, someone he wasn't at all uncomfortable with, doing something they'd done many times before.

Except this was certainly a different context. Just hugging her to share their experience in a moment of joy or fright was one thing. She had to be talking about something else, as this certainly wasn't the time or place for that. That was something more spontaneous, not asked for. Thinking what Jessie's true request might be, James found himself becoming flustered. "Je-Jessie," he began.

Jessie moved closer, putting her arm around him. James jerked in shock a moment, but then relaxed, sighing happily. He decided to be a bit spontaneous himself, and moved his own arm, pulling Jessie closer. They stayed that way a while, before Jessie rolled back onto her back. "James," she began. Glancing over and meeting eyes with him, she continued. "Don't you ever get lonely? I mean, working for Team Rocket is undeniably the coolest job ever, but being on the road, not having anyone else in your life, it is kind of lonely, isn't it?"

"Not at all!" James insisted. Despite any hardships, his life was anything but lonely at that point. "I'm not alone, really. I have my pokemon, and of course, you and Meowth."

James paused. Jessie appeared to be considering what he'd said, though he couldn't see her well in the dim light. James squinted, trying to make out her expression. Jessie only looked upwards, but eventually spoke again, in that soft voice. "I wonder if I could be happy, with just you."

"You don't only have me," James said. "But if it had to be the case, I know I could be happy with just you."

Jessie's head tilted back toward James. James was certain he could see her expression clearly, a surprised one. "Do you really mean that, James?" she asked.

"Of course," James said, though he blinked in confusion. Was it really that unbelievable? "I love you, Jessie. I, well, I couldn't do without you."

Jessie's mouth fell open, but then she sat up again, clutching the blanket. She gave a short, nervous laugh. "I hope you don't think I'll get all hot and bothered just for you, James," she said, looking in the opposite direction as she did.

"I don't," James said, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Well good, because I won't," Jessie insisted, clutching the blanket tighter now.

"Okay," James said, wondering if he should say anything more than that.

"But I really do like... I like you a lot. So I'd like it if we could just enjoy each other's company. You know what I mean." Jessie seemed to relax again, leaning down again and sighing.

"I'd like that too," James agreed. He did know what Jessie meant. They hadn't really been enjoying each other's company much, having put everything they had into the job since arriving at Unova. It wasn't as if they had been nasty to each other either, just held that cold, professional indifference. They could change that from there on out, as the situation allowed for it.

Thinking about making that change, James felt some excitement. He felt even more as Jessie scooted near, snuggling against him. He was comfortable, even feeling her breath on his neck. He could ask her what she was thinking, if she was really comfortable with this literal proximity to him. But she had made the move, and he honestly did enjoy this affection, so just decided to enjoy her closeness for the moment. James didn't really think about it, just relaxed, even as Jessie's face came close to his.

Then, before he realized it, it had already happened. As if by some reflex of her own, Jessie had kissed him. James did nothing a moment, almost frozen before he'd realize what had happened. When he did, he decided he hadn't disliked it, though it was kind of a strange thing to do. "Je-Jessie?" he said, confused again by her silence.

Finally, Jessie's fretful voice broke through, though after she'd pulled away from him again. "What is it, James? Did you have a problem with that or something? Wasn't getting to kiss me good enough for you?" she asked.

"No- I mean, it was good," James said, hugging Jessie gently again, relieved that she wasn't so angry that she'd ignore him. "I was just surprised. For a minute there we were acting like one of those couples that can't keep their hands off each other."

"Well what have we been talking about all this time?!" Jessie demanded, shaking off his grip.

James's eyes widened in a clueless, curious expression. Before he could respond, someone else came crashing through the tent. "Hey, James! Wake up! I finished making the changes. You need to look at them, stat!"

"What are you doing, Meowth? Haven't you ever heard of privacy?" Jessie shouted.

"How much privacy do you need to sleep? I'm waking you all up anyway! This is more important. You want the boss to know exactly where we stand as soon as possible, right?"

"Whatever then," Jessie said, crawling out of the tent before standing up and stretching.

"Jessie," James called after her.

"Just go and do what that big mouth says already, James," Jessie said casually. "Meowth is right, that report is more important than anything we were doing in there."

"Yeah, so get moving," Meowth said.

James nodded, then went over to the laptop to review the report that he thought he'd already finished. He couldn't concentrate on it though. Not even Meowth's berating was enough to get him to focus his mind on words on the screen in front of him.

James tried to glance to see what Jessie was doing, but she wasn't in sight. He frowned. He really hadn't wanted to upset her, and really had agreed with what she'd said. Being close to her was something he wanted, not just then with that conversation, but for a long time. He thought they'd had a fairly intimate relationship already, but liked the idea of becoming even closer and not letting work get between them.

What he didn't like was the idea of their relationship dissolving, or them growing apart. James wanted to go talk to her again, straighten things out. Did she want to kiss him again? The one kiss had been kind of nice. He'd kiss her again, absolutely. Even make out with her. He hadn't done it before, even with someone else, but how difficult could it be? However Jessie wanted their relationship to be, James felt he wanted it to. Because he wanted her.

"Well, what do you think then, James? The boss will know how valuable we are when he reads this, right? The way I put it was better than just what you did, huh?"

With Meowth's question, James's attention went back to the screen in front of him. "Um, let's see," he said, scanning the words in front of him, trying to read them instead of just look at them. "Where did I leave off again?"

"You didn't finish yet? Get with it!" Meowth shouted, slapping James's head with a rolled-up magazine.

James shouted, rubbing his head before he tried to do just that.

* * *

Jessie walked though the woods, no place to go, really. She decided she just wanted the exercise. As the light dimmed when a cloud came across the moon, Jessie wondered if she should really be wandering out alone at night to begin with. Well, her pokemon could take care of any undesirables that she couldn't herself, she concluded, and continued on her way, with the same frustration as before.

Why couldn't it just be easy. James admitted he liked her - loved her even! So, the natural result of that should be the two of them 'expressing' their love a certain way, a very natural way. Though when Jessie had just begun, James had just acted like she was weird or something. Jessie gave a quick shout, kicking a tree in frustration as she thought back on the situation, trying to bury her own embarrassment.

Had she misread him? James should have known what she was talking about, dense as he was. He seemed to, also seemed to enthusiastically return her feelings, going overboard with that declaration of love, even. But still, he'd rejected her.

Or had he? Jessie tried to figure it out, before abandoning those questions in her confusion. It really should have just been easy. They admit love for each other, then fade into their passion, just like that. Jessie felt an attraction to James, and why wouldn't he feel the same? Most men would find her hard to resist. So why had James rejected her?

Well, he hadn't really. Not exactly. Though he'd acted like he'd tasted something bad when kissing her, he'd later insisted that he'd liked it. And before that, he'd even said he wouldn't want to be without her. Jessie smirked, thinking about the over-the-top way those words sounded, though she was sure her partner had meant it all in earnest.

No, it really wasn't as disastrous a situation as she'd originally thought, Jessie decided when thinking the events over a third time. James was just a little slow when it came to this. Jessie calmed, though still feeling a bit frustrated. There was plenty that was going right in her life, even if romance wasn't one of them. Going back to base, the boss would have to be pleased with them. Another exciting assignment had to be waiting for them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes_

 _The next chapter is here! Thanks to the one anon reviewer that asked for more, I honestly appreciated it. ;_; I'm going to try for weekly updates. Though things might pop up, I generally tend to stick to the schedule, especially if I know anyone is waiting for the next part. Enjoy._

* * *

 **2**

A gentle wind blew across the table in the café, one of the city's many. Butch smirked, looking around at the patrons, all done up in various fancy dresses and suits. Looking across the table at Cassidy, she probably seemed casual to those around, though she was done up in her best dress, and had even bothered to put on some makeup. It was formal for her, and she did look pretty, Butch considered, though Cassidy always looked attractive to him.

Butch wondered how he looked himself. The suit he'd picked out looked sharp when he'd first gotten it, but now it showed its age. They couldn't buy new disguises with their current budget, not that they even needed to 'disguise' themselves here, actually hoping to be recognized. They were just both so out of place. Butch picked up the tea that he'd picked out, sipping the unfamiliar flavor before grinning with amusement from their whole act of being the refined patron. An observer might just think he was enjoying himself. And even though he was getting impatient, what was the harm in that? "Hey Cass, like your tea?" he asked.

Cassidy looked up from her laptop a moment, her lips pursed, no one mistaking that she might just be having a good time. "I wish they'd hurry up," she said before staring back at her screen.

Butch grimaced as his mind got back to the reality of their situation. His expression turned blank, and he stared at the table. Though it seemed like they were out on an overdressed fancy date, they were on the job. If they could even get their job done, that was. These days they'd been having more and more trouble with that.

"Hey Butch... Have you ever been to Unova?" Cassidy asked.

"Never," Butch said. He'd vaguely heard of the place, but had never had the opportunity to travel much before joining Team Rocket. So since Cassidy, his consistent partner hadn't, neither had he.

"That's where Jessie and her crew got assigned. After the boss bought into their little far-fetched tale of getting rid of Team Galactic in Sinnoh, that is."

"Those idiots weren't even supposed to be in Sinnoh, were they? I guess their reward for lying was getting an assignment in the first place," Butch pointed out, then lowered his voice as he peered around at those nearby, seeing if anyone was paying attention to the conversation. "Well, who cares about what they're doing. We got the better deal, huh? Unova's just this dusty, overcrowded place. We're in Kalos, the land of romance." Butch smiled, brushing his hair away from his eyes dramatically.

Cassidy laughed. "Yeah, land of romance. If only we had that much to take home. But we're just dealing with failure. Do you really want to be lower than Jessie's group, again?"

"That's not gonna happen though, right?" Butch asked.

Cassidy closed her device now, staring Butch in the eyes purposefully. "I think it already has."

"But those two are a joke! They weren't even officially on the Team Rocket roster anymore, right? Even if we're sucking right now, it can't be that bad!"

"No," Cassidy admitted, sighing as she took a sip of her tea. "But they are back 'on the roster'. And the boss is pleased with what they've been doing. So, now you can understand why I'm afraid we might slip below them in rank again."

Butch nodded. He looked around the café again, seeing the various patrons, all relaxed, enjoying the atmosphere and food. They really were separated from this reality. He didn't have that luxury. Maybe it was time to make a scene if who they were waiting for didn't show up.

"Valued customers, may I offer you a special bonus?" a waiter said as he approached them.

"We're not in the mood," Butch grumbled.

"Now, now," Cassidy began pleasantly. "This might be exactly what we were in the mood for.

Butch studied the guy in front of them, realizing quickly that he was indeed who they'd be waiting for. "Don't be so formal, have a seat," Butch said.

"I must keep up appearances, I am on the job," the waiter said.

"We insist," Cassidy said.

The waiter eventually did sit down at the empty chair, though he couldn't stop checking around the area himself, before looking back at Butch and Cassidy who now sat to either side of him.

"Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you face to face," Cassidy began. "We are interested in your offer, and also willing to pay a fair price. You just understand that we expect to get what we pay for."

"That's right," Butch said. "And we aren't that happy if we don't. We'd come back here and torch this place."

"Well, you understand I'm just an employee here-"

"Yes," Cassidy said. "We respect you wanted to meet in a public place, but we need to know who we're buying from, so we also took the liberty of finding out more about you, including your real name and where you live." Cassidy took out her laptop, turning it around and showing the information just so he'd know they weren't just passing out empty threats.

"Maybe we'll have to start with your home, since you're so concerned about your work and all," Butch added on to their threats.

"Right," Cassidy continued, closing the device as she looked at the waiter. "But, we don't really want to deal with something messy like that. If you do give us what you promise, there's nothing to worry about. We just want a fair exchange, you see."

"So we're being fair too, letting you know what we'll have to take if we don't get what we want," Butch explained.

"Exactly," Cassidy agreed, calmly nodding as the person in front of them tensed up. "So don't feel the need to overstate the value of your offer."

The waiter sat with his shoulders up, a frown replacing the confident expression he held before. "Well then-" he began.

"We're still willing to buy, even if it's not as fantastic as you promised in your messages." Cassidy interrupted. "We're just saying, be honest now, give us a fair assessment."

The man nodded, swallowing before he spoke. "It's all true. Everything I said. There's tons of honedge in this place. It is closed off from the public without this key, and there's no current owner of the building, it's just abandoned."

"Are you sure about that? Sure, we want to know, but we don't really care about an owner, as long as we can get in," Butch said with a smirk.

"It's true, I promise. Everything I said! There's just one thing." Cassidy and Butch both waited patiently before the man spoke. "Well, I don't know if this is the only key-"

"That does knock down the value a bit," Cassidy said.

"Well, okay, I know it's not the only key. Because other people have gone in there before, and it's really a dangerous place. No one can stand up against these ghost pokemon, you know."

"Honedge is a ghost/steel type, pretty strong defence like a lot of other steel types. Some special attack based fire or ghost type moves should take care of them quick, huh?" Butch analyzed.

Cassidy nodded, knowing which of her pokemon might be able to provide those attacks.

"Look, I've warned you now, so I won't be responsible if you get attacked or hurt or anything."

"I am kind of worried about that... And also if someone else with another key already went and caught all our pokemon. So, we will have to renegotiate the price," Cassidy said.

Butch sat back and watched his partner barter. In the end they had the key, for a quarter of the amount they'd agreed to over the messaging system, which had already been knocked down from this guy's original offer. Butch waited until they were outside to open the box. Inside was a picture of the thing they'd been promised, along with a map. Butch looked at the stone plate, a lot different from any other 'key' he'd seen. Cassidy took a look at the map, comparing it against her digital one. "Well, let's stock up on pokeballs, and then give this a shot tomorrow," she said.

Butch nodded. "Hopefully it'll work out," he said.

"As long as that goon was telling the truth it should," Cassidy said. "The boss will be more than glad to have a supply of these Kalos-exclusive pokemon."

"You'll just have to talk 'em up like usual," Butch said. He looked at another picture in the package they'd been given, of some honedge just floating around, one sheathed and one unsheathed. Butch took a second look at the 'face' of the sheathed one. "They do look pretty tough on their own though - or at least creepy like ghost type pokemon are supposed to be. Maybe it won't matter to the boss if he's never even heard of them before."

Cassidy raised her eyebrows, but didn't make another comment. Both knew that this was their last ditch effort before they had to return back home empty handed. Even if it wasn't the most fantastic idea, they just had to go with it.

* * *

Cassidy and Butch awoke first thing in the morning with the sun, making sure it was nice and bright outside before completely getting on their way. Cassidy got her equipment ready, putting a bag over her shoulder with their recently purchased pokeballs, and making sure Butch mirrored her with his own bag. She then took out the two pokeballs with the pokemon she'd be sure would be most helpful. Thinking over Butch's team, she wondered what pokemon he might use.

"I don't think Mightyena will cut it here, Butch. It might be dark type, but you trained it mostly for physical attacks, right?"

"Yeah. So-"

"I guess I'll just have to help you out again," Cassidy said with a shrug, then tossed him a pokeball.

Butch caught it, smiling. "Sableye?" he guessed.

Cassidy nodded. "You'll make the best use of it," she said. She didn't bother to explain Sabeye's moves, since Butch likely remembered them. As partners, they both borrowed each others pokemon like this all the time, and helped each other with training. Sableye wouldn't miss a beat answering to Butch's commands instead of hers.

Butch nodded. "Let's get going."

They arrived at the abandoned-looking castle before too long. After crossing the muddy moat over the creaky, now permanently descended bridge, the rockets stood before its vine-covered gates. Cassidy noticed Butch looking at her expectantly, so she reached into her bag, taking out the tile-like "key" they'd been given. Cassidy only glanced at the door once before figuring out the easiest guess for how to use it and placed the "key" in the hollowed section that fit it perfectly.

The doors indeed opened, swinging to the inside. Cassidy stared inside, a little surprised at how dark the interior was. The next item out of her bag was the flashlight. Cassidy hesitated for less than a moment before entering the compound. Though she did feel anticipation, that only pushed her forward. Further hesitation would highlight her weakness, so Cassidy often used her anxiety as energy to move ahead.

Once inside, she relaxed quickly, realizing the room they were inside was empty. The pitch blackness had been an illusion as well, caused by their eyes adjusting from the bright daylight outside. Light peeked in through the cracks in the structure, and with that and her flashlight, Cassidy could easily see the large, empty, dusty space around her.

"How long do you think it'll be before we get swarmed by these pokemon?" Butch asked, observing the area as carefully as Cassidy herself did.

Cassidy nodded. "It could be any second now, though I suppose we may have to take a nap first."

Butch stifled his laugh. Cassidy peered behind her to double check her partner wasn't letting his guard down, and could tell he wasn't by how he shone his own flashlight around the place. They continued on their way, stepping into the next room.

The dust flew up, obscuring their vision. Cassidy reached to her side for the chosen pokeball. "Go, Houndoom!" she ordered. Cassidy coughed, unable to see where her pokemon had appeared, then squinted, rubbing her eyes. As the dust started to clear, Cassidy could make out two of the sword-like pokemon they'd come for, each in front of Houndoom and Sableye, her other pokemon apparently released by Butch. Perfect.

"Sableye, shadow ball!" Butch shouted.

"Houndoom, flamethrower!" Cassidy said.

After their pokemons' attacks landed, Cassidy and Butch each threw out their pokeballs at once, which moved only a bit before stopping. Butch turned and grinned at her before walking toward their new captures. "How many do you want before we quit?" he asked.

"As many as we can get in the pokeballs we have, or as many as we can get before lunch. Whichever comes first."

"Sounds good to me. I think we'll fill up our pokeballs first, personally," Butch said as he leaned down to pick up the already filled ones.

Cassidy nodded, turning toward her bag to open the second compartment to put the captured pokemon in. Hearing a thud, she looked up. "Hey!" Cassidy shouted at Butch, seeing him crumpled on the floor. As she ran toward him, she saw the nearby pokemon, its sash-like appendage wrapped around Butch's arm. "Houndoom," Cassidy began, ready to have it attack, then paused, realizing her human partner would be hit with that attack as well.

Before Cassidy could consider what to do next, Butch sat up. He rose up from the ground almost as if floating, rather than having to push himself to his feet. "Hey," Cassidy said again, confused this time. "Are you alright then?"

Butch turned around, brandishing the pokemon as if it were a real sword. Cassidy took a look at the blank, deadened expression on his face and took a guess at what might have happened. Possession wasn't at all out of the question, especially since it was ghost type pokemon they were dealing with. Cassidy tensed up, knowing she'd have to defend herself with her pokemon's attacks if he were to come after her.

But instead Butch turned to the side. His eyes seemed to focus on the two pokeballs containing the captured pokemon. "H-hey," Cassidy began. "Butch, wait!" she shouted as he took a swing with the pokemon toward the defenseless objects.

But the offensive gesture only lead to two taps, one on each pokeball, releasing the formerly captured honedge into the open. Deciding if she should be relieved or not, Cassidy ended up jumping in surprise as Butch smashed one opened pokeball and then the other with the honedge he held.

The sash then willfully unwrapped from Butch's arm, causing him to fall to the ground again. "Houndoom, Sableye, get ready," Cassidy said, going to her unconscious partner's side before giving her pokemon any orders. He was still breathing, she noted, but didn't respond otherwise to her trying to shake him awake.

Looking up, Cassidy saw there was now an uncountable number of honedge around them. Her hesitation had put them in this situation. "Houndoom, flamethrower! Sableye, shadow ball!" Cassidy echoed the previous commands she and Butch had given, which should be the most effective against these particular pokemon. Sure enough, several fell as her two pokemon attacked. As they did, even more honedge appeared from the shadows.

Cassidy took a step back, feeling all the more apprehension. She glanced toward the ground at Butch, knowing she couldn't retreat without injury and get him out at the same time. "Houndoom-" Cassidy began, then paused as the pokemon unsheathed themselves, getting read to attack.

Then, a deep pokemon call echoed through the room, perhaps through the entire building, and the honedge backed away. Cassidy thought it was a pokemon's voice but couldn't be completely sure. It could just as well be the sound of some large metal object being moved around. She felt relief, but was still on guard as she leaned down to Butch.

"Wake up," Cassidy hissed, again nudging him. "No one's going to carry you out of here, you know."

Cassidy heard the sound again, this time closer. As it rang out a third time, it was unmistakably coming from the archway in the room. Cassidy look up, standing as she backed away. A larger sword-like pokemon was there, this one sporting a shield-like addition. "Houndoom, flame thrower!" Cassidy ordered.

Her pokemon spat out a strong, steady stream of fire instantly toward the newcomer. Their opponent simply held up its shield, then moved toward Houndoom quickly, with an attack Cassidy didn't quite recognize, though it was super effective, knocking her houndoom out. Cassidy turned toward her other one. "Sableye-"

"That's enough," the unknown pokemon spoke. "This group is here because of threads of fate that I wove myself."

It wasn't them, but the pokemon being spoken to, Cassidy realized as the honedge backed away. Her eyes sharpened on the pokemon in front of her, looking at the crest which might be an 'eye'. "So, you can speak?" she inquired.

"Yes, that's correct. After many years, I've become talented at communicating in your way," the pokemon confirmed.

Cassidy nodded. "Interesting," she said hesitantly. "I'd ask you for more of your story, but right now I'm even more interested in what exactly you want with us here."

"That would take too long to explain," the large pokemon began, hovering toward Cassidy who still stared its way without flinching. "I am Aegislash, a pokemon that ensures destiny. You and your partner here are simply part of the destiny I've woven."

"Hm." Cassidy frowned, relaxing only slightly now that she realized that this pokemon wanted something from her, which likely meant she and Butch were safe. "It's difficult, though. We're too wrapped up ensuring our own destiny to worry about yours."

"It's not mine that I speak of," Aegislash insisted seriously. "You two are from the Kanto region, correct?"

"Right," Cassidy confirmed hesitantly.

"There's a king there, one whose destiny I've been manipulating for a while. You've been a part of his path, and will now be the string I use to lead him here."

Cassidy remained silent, waiting for Aegislash to continue. She was fairly sure there was only one person that 'king' could be.

"I ask you to leave and then return. You'll return with my king," Aegislash declared.

Cassidy shook her head. "What makes you think the 'king' wants to come here at all? Why should he go out of his way just for you?"

"He won't come for me. I'm here for him, with powers to support him, including my honedge here. It's the joy of my existence to bring the jewels of the world to their ultimate potential."

Ultimate potential. Cassidy mused on that a moment. Her boss's 'ultimate potential' must be his ultimate goal, world domination. Perhaps he would be interested in coming out to Kalos based on this strange pokemon's promise after all. He'd just recently gone to Unova in search of some weird power. This would be along those same lines.

"So, you understand now? You will go to Kanto, and then return here with my king," Aegislash reiterated.

"I can try," Cassidy said.

"I know you will. Take this, to help lead my king to his future home." After speaking to Cassidy, Aegislash let out a call in its pokemon language, and another unknown pokemon appeared before it. This one appeared like a pair of swords. "Go ahead," Aegislash invited. "Take my partner Doublade with you."

Though it went against trainer basics, Cassidy threw a pokeball without beginning a battle. After being taken inside, the pokemon didn't appear to put up a fight. The pokeball shook only a moment before going still.

Cassidy picked it up confidently. She'd do what Aegislash asked — or at least try to. She had a new rare pokemon and the promise of even more power for the picking, and that had been plenty for Giovanni in the past from others. Her and her partner's problems were over, at least for this brief moment, given even a little to return to base with.


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

Pikachu lay on the couch, warmed by the sunlight. It only peeked its eyes open as it heard some feet shuffling along the carpet. Ash's mom stood in front of it, holding a basket. "Are you going to get up soon, Pikachu?" she asked.

"Piiika," Pikachu said with a loud sigh, stretching and sitting up only to reposition itself.

"Well, I suppose you and Ash are always so busy. So maybe you should take a few days to rest up," Ash's mom mused.

"Not that long," Ash said from behind her. "Pikachu and I are gonna do some battling at Professor Oak's today!"

"Ah, that's right, I almost forgot. Well, before then... Pikachu, why don't you try some pokepuffs? Since you're going to Kalos you might get sick of them, but I did order some fancy ones."

"Let me see," Ash said, taking the basket. Opening it, he saw the selection of multicolored pastries and grinned. "Looks great! Here, Pikachu," Ash said, handing his pokemon one before taking a bite of one himself.

"Ash!" Ash's mom exclaimed. "That's pokemon food."

"But it's good," Ash pointed out, causing his mom to sigh. Ash turned to walk away, running into a barrier and falling to the ground. "Ouch," he said, reaching for the basket again. Mr. Mime grabbed it before him. "Hey!" Ash protested.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu looked up from the pokepuff it had been nibbling and scurried over to check if its partner was okay.

Ash rubbed his head, patting Pikachu before standing up.

"Hey, Ash, did none of your friends want to go to Kalos with you?"

Ash looked over to his mom, shaking his head. "Only Pikachu's going with me."

Ash's mom took the basket of pokepuffs that Mr. Mime offered, then frowned. "Won't you get lonely though?"

"No way! I know I'll see my friends again one day. But even without them, I'm not alone."

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed. Ash wouldn't get lonely with it along. Ash stroked its head, and they grinned at each other.

Ash's mom shook her head, smiling at the scene just the same. "Well, do what you want, but know I get worried about your safety sometimes. Be careful, sweetie."

"Sure," Ash said. "Come on, Pikachu. Let's go."

Pikachu took off, following its partner. As far as safety went, Ash's mom shouldn't be worried either. Pikachu would always protect its partner. Safety and companionship were something they provided to each other.

* * *

About to knock on the office door, the entire group hesitated. "Did you ever hear back from the boss about your report?" Jessie asked quietly.

"Not at all," Meowth muttered.

"No one said anything to us since we got back either," James pointed out.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Let's just go get his response now," Jessie said, getting ready to knock on the solid wood door again.

"Wait," Meowth said. "Maybe we should just wait. For his secretary. So we don't interrupt anything important."

"I guess so," Jessie said.

"She shouldn't be gone for long, right?" James said.

Meowth and Jessie both nodded. Their arms slacked, and they took a step back. As they were about to turn away, the door swung open. Doublade floated out, calling out loudly to everyone around. The trio stood there confused a moment at the unfamiliar pokemon's approach. Jessie reached for her pokeball, but before she could throw it out, a calm voice came from the room, "Doublade, return."

The pokemon disappeared, and three sets of eyes looked a them from the room. Jessie grimaced a moment as she saw it was not just Giovanni, but their rivals, Cassidy and Butch in the room. Though her partner stood, Cassidy actually had the nerve to sit next to the boss, the two of them apparently looking up from something on his desk. What nerve she had, Jessie fumed to herself. Or were these two just that high ranking now?

"Huh," Cassidy said, observing them with a raised eyebrow, still seated.

Giovanni looked at them with just as much confusion. "Were you all scheduled to return?"

"Yes, sir! We even sent our notice," Meowth said, then fidgeted a bit. "You did get it, didn't you?"

"Oh, right," Giovanni said.

"We're here to report back to you, sir," Jessie added.

"Well, we're discussing something important, so you two ought to come back later," Cassidy said.

Jessie glared at her rival. Even if that were true, their boss should have been the one to say it. Still, Jessie said nothing. She tried to be professional, even others didn't do the same.

"No, they should stay. Come in, shut the door," Giovanni ordered. Jessie's group did so, no one on either side protesting. Everyone looked to Giovanni for what he might say next. "Let me brief you," he began, looking toward Jessie, James, and Meowth. "These two have been out of the region, similarly to you. They've come across what sounds like a very useful pokemon."

"With legendary power," Butch added.

"You can hear about legendary pokemon anywhere," Jessie commented, only realizing her mistake after she'd spoken her thought out loud.

"He said legendary power, but it's not just a legend in the least. I've done the research, and this pokemon had been spotted all over Unova." Cassidy shuffled through her papers, then took one out, standing up to show it Jessie and James. "See?" she said, pointing to the dots marked throughout the map of the star-shaped region. "With that many confirmed sightings, it's hardly just a legend. It's all but confirmed this pokemon evolves from a semi-rare species as well."

James looked closer at the map, and Meowth hopped up on his shoulder to do so as well. Jessie just folded her arms. Just because people said they saw it didn't mean they actually did, she thought, though held back from commenting this time.

"Sir, have these two been adequately briefed?" Cassidy asked, turning back to her boss.

"Yes, that should do. I'll say I'm impressed with the various descriptions of this pokemon's power. However, I believe they may be biased."

"But sir, we saw it for ourselves," Butch pointed out.

"Yes, and that pokemon defeated you partially by just disabling you and using its companions, per your report. I already have numbers, among other ways to disable my opponents. I trust your report and appreciate your research, however, it's all not enough for me to take further action."

Cassidy pursed her lips, then smiled and nodded. "We understand, sir," she said.

"However, I would like you investigate further," Giovanni added.

"Of course," Cassidy said with a nod.

"Meowth, Jessie, James," Giovanni addressed, looking toward the second group in the room.

"Yes, sir," they all said at once, standing up straighter.

"You all are to go along with them to Kalos."

"Yes, sir," they tentatively agreed.

"Now, I hope you won't be overpowered as easily," Giovanni said as Cassidy and Butch tried to hide their displeasure. "Face it as a group. Challenge it if and see if you can defeat it. Catch some of those lesser evolved forms if this pokemon turns out to be as average as I suspect, so your trip won't be a total loss. I imagine that species could be useful to us."

"Yes, sir," Cassidy and Butch agreed.

As they left and walked down the hall, Cassidy groaned. "So not only do we have to have to waste our time in Kalos again, but we have to take along these clods."

"What's that?" Jessie said.

"You're lucky to have us!" Meowth declared. "And why did you tell the boss about this place if you thought it was just useless, anyway?!"

"That's right! We should go back and tell him what you just said," James declared.

Cassidy glanced at Jessie and James, then back down at Meowth before turning her head. "Go ahead. You'll just look uncooperative," she said before starting down the hall.

"Yeah, you know how the boss hates that. If he didn't, you can bet we'd complain about being stuck with the two of you," Butch commented with a shrug before turning to follow his partner.

As a group, Jessie, James, and Meowth just stood in place, cocking their heads toward where their newly assigned traveling companions had gone. Jessie was the first to follow them, letting out a noise of frustration as she did. "Don't think we won't complain! The boss trusts us! We'll let him know you're just wasting his time!" she threatened.

Cassidy sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, Jessie. I know that we're supposed to cooperate now, so just follow me and we can discuss it. We wouldn't waste anyone's time."

Jessie motioned to James and Meowth, and silently, they all walked to the cafeteria together. Cassidy sat, interacting only with her computer before Butch brought her some food. Jessie, James, and Meowth all sat just as quietly, eating. Jessie was the only one glaring at Cassidy, to finally begin the promised 'discussion'. "Hey-" she began loudly.

"Are you all enjoying your meal?" Cassidy said everyone.

"Ah- Yeah," James said hesitantly.

"Everything's pretty good today," Meowth added.

"I'm glad to hear it," Cassidy said before glancing back at her computer and picking up a carrot to continue her own meal.

"Don't think you can just patronize us all the way to Kalos!" Jessie declared.

"Oh, no, I wasn't thinking that at all," Cassidy said, shutting her laptop closed with a frown. "Patience is a virtue, Jessie."

"Why be patient when you can tell us everything right now?" Jessie demanded loudly.

"I was making sure I could give you all the details, but I can see such things would be wasted on you," Cassidy said.

Before Jessie could start to shout, Butch interrupted. "Hey, you guys didn't get the whole story. If you'd been there when we'd told the boss everything, you'd know why we're frustrated right now."

"Right," Cassidy said tersely. "And we did tell him everything. So there's no point in going and re explaining, since it would just piss him off, since he's already told us what he wants us to do from there."

"So you gonna tell us then?" Meowth asked.

Cassidy nodded. "We had the same thought as the boss... That species of pokemon could be very useful, especially in large numbers. But we already tried to catch a bunch, and failed."

"Then we were outmatched by that thing," Butch said.

"Thing?" James repeated.

"Oh, the powerful pokemon we thought the boss would want. Maybe he's right though, maybe that pokemon's just hiding average strength behind its various abilities," Cassidy mused.

"We shouldn't write off those abilities, Cass," Butch commented.

Cassidy nodded. "That's true. But either way, we couldn't stand a chance in there and that thing won't be pleased if we return without the boss."

"Why would it care about that?" Meowth asked.

"It knew about the boss, called him a 'king'. It really wanted to see him, in person," Butch pointed out.

"Right, but since the boss probably won't ever come, our best chance to please the boss is to capture Aegislash and a bunch of honedge ourselves. We might do it with added power, but you two aren't quite going to cut it when it comes to that," Cassidy said with a shrug.

"Jessie and James have some pretty good pokemon! Don't count them out!" Meowth said before either of its partners could comment.

"You think so? Well, be sure to bring all your pokemon along so we're at full strength. The boss wouldn't like it if we didn't give our best, hm?"

The rest of the meal went without incident. Afterward, Jessie and James went outside, then to the area where various Team Rocket pokemon were kept. "I don't like just doing what she says, but there's no reason to leave everyone here," Jessie said.

"That's right. I've really missed them," James said.

Jessie and James went through the large groups of pokemon, collecting their pokeballs from the handler. "How are we supposed to find everyone?" Jessie asked. The handler just shrugged.

"Let's see," James began, looking out into the crowded area. Some pokemon played, sliding down the makeshift jungle gym, others kept to themselves, growling at others that passed.

"Mime! Mime!"

James looked down, then grinned widely at his Mime Jr. As they hugged in a greeting, Carnivine came and bit him on the head. "It's so good to see both of you!" James said, sobbing with joy through the pain.

"Geez," Jessie turned her nose up at James's display of emotion, then looked to the side, seeing her Seviper on the ground, Yanmega flying above it, both right in front of her.

"Seviper!"

"Yanmega!"

"You guys," Jessie said, trying not to get a bit tearful herself. As she reached to embrace them, Wobbuffet leapt between them.

"Wobbu! Wobbuffet!" it said, putting its arm to its head before reaching out to embrace Jessie.

"Hmph. You guys," Jessie said, leaning down to hug them. Well, there couldn't be too many people watching. Jessie jumped in a start as some footsteps fell near her. It was just James, smiling down at her. Well, it was alright for him to see her like this. They'd seen so many other sides of each other.

James suddenly scratched his head nervously, looking to the side. "These honedge are ghost types, aren't they? They sound scary too. Maybe I'd better leave this little one here after all," he said, motioning to Mime Jr. in his arms.

"Up to you. I won't tell," Jessie said.

"Mime?" Mime Jr. looked up, worried.

"Sorry. I'll pick you up later, Mimey," James said. He hugged Mime Jr. close.

"That would leave you with just three pokemon though. And I'll have five," Jessie said.

James nodded. "Two was good enough before. How many do you think they have?" James asked.

"I don't know, but it looks like they're trying to get more," Jessie said, pointing to where they'd gotten their pokeballs back. Cassidy and Butch both stood their now, Cassidy appearing to be arguing with the handler.

James nodded. He waited until their rivals now traveling companions had gone away, then went and gave back Mime Jr.'s pokeball. After that, he walked with Jessie back to the dorm they'd been assigned to. Getting there, James noticed that Meowth hadn't returned yet. Maybe it was the perfect time to discuss something a little more private between the two of them.

"Hey, Jessie?" James said, his eyes darting around nervously as he dared to bring up this subject.

"Yeah?" Jessie said, turning around to face him after she'd taken off her earrings.

"I've been thinking about, well, what we talked about before," James said.

Jessie nodded, turning back to the bedside table. "Yeah - I mean, what that we talked about?" she asked. Though she already knew, Jessie wanted James to be the one to bring it up.

"You know, before we left to come home," James said.

Jessie nodded. So he wasn't going to be more specific than that, she thought with a bit of frustration. "Well, you were thinking what about it exactly?"

"A lot.. I mean, about you, and me, and what you mean to me."

Surprised at James's sudden turn to directness, Jessie's heart began to beat faster. She wasn't going to let him know it affected her that much though, so she kept her body turned away, pretending to look at something in the drawer of the nightstand, though there wasn't much in there, as if she weren't interested at all. "What do I mean to you?" she asked, still glancing away.

"Everything," James declared.

With that, Jessie did have to turn to face him. Luckily, he was the one avoiding looking at her, his face flushing in his own nervousness as he stared toward the door. Jessie waited for him to continue, since there had to be more to say after that.

"I really meant it when I said I couldn't do without you. I want to stay with you forever," James said.

"Do you hear the embarrassing stuff you're saying?" Jessie asked.

"But I mean it! I really do love you, Jessie," James said, then reached out and embraced her.

Jessie tensed only a second before relaxing into the hug, burying her head against James's shoulder. She couldn't blame him for being nervous. She couldn't even deny to herself her own apprehension. But it was just James. This was another side of herself she could show to him. Jessie leaned against him, enjoying feeling him that close to her. She then leaned up to kiss him.

This time, he didn't act surprised. The contrary, James kissed her back as if he'd been expecting it. Good, Jessie thought. She didn't have to worry if he were accepting of her or not, as he certainly was, and had the right context of 'love' in mind. Jessie leaned back against the bed with him, pressing her body against him as she remained above him. James wrapped his arms around her, caressing her back.

After a while, the atmosphere seemed to settle into calm. James's lips fell away from her, though the physical closeness remained. He seemed like he might fall asleep, just after that. Jessie started to feel frustrated. Wasn't he sure where to go from here? He smiled contentedly at her, not seeming at all nervous anymore, even if Jessie still was.

But she didn't have to that way while waiting for him to finally get the nerve to take the initiative. Jessie wasn't one to be the passive participant, though she had wanted him to make the first move. It didn't much matter though. She could move things along, and maybe James could the next time. There would be plenty of time for that. He wanted to be with her forever, didn't he?

Jessie thought of that previous declaration with a smirk, then pulled her shirt off over her head. James stared at her, and she was alright with that, as long as that wasn't all he did. "Hurry up, James," she goaded.

"Yeah," James muttered. He looked down, then back up at Jessie's expectant expression, then took off his own shirt. He'd been relaxed, but tensed up again as she kissed him. Thinking it was just Jessie, who he was happy to be with, and better yet, she was happy with him, James soon returned to his previous state, just enjoying her touch.

But before too long, she gave him that look again. James knew there was something she wanted, but instead ignored it. It was only when Jessie showed signs of agitation by furrowing her brow that he spoke up. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm fine, James," Jessie said. "You take as much time as you need to. But do you think you'll need much longer?"

"No," James said quickly, knowing he was increasing Jessie's agitation during what should have been a nice moment. "I don't need any more time." James kissed her again, and Jessie pulled back, appearing much more satisfied. It was then that her hands moved down, and she tried to unbuckle his pants.

In his panic, James's mouth went dry, and he started to feel numb. He blinked purposefully, flailing his arms a moment to try and stop his adverse reaction, but it was too late. Jessie had already noticed. "Jessie," James called to get her attention, but Jessie still avoided giving it, turning away in hurt of how James had just reacted. "Jessie," he said in a whinier voice, then pushed his mouth closed, realizing she wouldn't like that reaction.

"Don't you want to?" Jessie said in a quieter voice. She bit her lip and didn't wait for a response, since the answer was obvious by James's reaction. "So why did you act like you did when you didn't?" she asked now, in a louder, harsher tone.

"I didn't know-" James stopped himself, seeing Jessie's dubious expression. "I suppose I did know," he admitted. He'd tried to push the idea out of his mind, but on some level, he'd known all along that Jessie had wanted to have sex with him. "I just didn't want to disappoint you." As Jessie appeared to become morose, James shouted again. "I really do love you! You understand, don't you?"

"Yeah, sure James," Jessie said. "You love me, just not like that."

"Not like what?" James said.

"Just stop playing dumb already," Jessie said. As James appeared more and more bewildered, she clenched her jaw. "If it's not an act, I really, really worry about you," she snapped.

James became flustered, moving away from his worried state to an irritated mood as well. He'd thought he'd known what Jessie meant by 'like that', and he did love her. 'Like that'. He'd said so, more than once even. He'd shown it too, hadn't he? "I love you so much, Jessie. I just don't want to do... That. It's alright, isn't it?"

"Of course it's alright," Jessie said. She hated the pushy types, and wasn't about to become one herself. She was surprised as James moved close to her again, looking relieved. He even kissed her again, though they'd pretty much put an end to this kind of thing with the previous conversation. Jessie felt his hand on her side, and slightly less frustrated, knowing for sure these actions wouldn't lead anywhere rather than wondering when they would.

So she decided to just enjoy it as it was, and kissed James back as well, enjoying his touch while lightly touching him in return. She had avoided loneliness with him, and could continue to. It was a bit frustrating, but when did anything go exactly the way she wanted it to in love anyway?


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

"There they are," Jessie said, nodding in Cassidy and Butch's general direction across the crowded airport. Meowth and James both nodded, seeing the group themselves but not really acknowledging them. They'd decided to travel separately and meet up later, each group not being able to stand the other. Though the idea seemed a bit silly now, with all of them on the same flight and all.

When it came time to line up, Meowth could even see Cassidy and Butch just one person behind it. "Don't look now," it muttered.

Jessie did, though she'd been subtlety keeping an eye on them in the first place. She soon faced forward. Seeing the person directly ahead, Jessie hid her surprise.

"Hey," Butch said, leaning past the person in-between the two groups. "Now's your chance."

"Don't encourage them. We're about to get on the flight," Cassidy said.

"Don't act like we don't even know when's a good time to snatch a pokemon!" Jessie snapped, turning around to a disturbed onlooker and the rivals that now acted like they hadn't said anything.

"Pika?" Seeing Pikachu peek around from Ash's shoulder, Meowth hid behind Jessie and James, who were already in plain view. The pokemon stared up at them, then frowned. "Pi?" it said questioningly, frowning.

"What is it?" Ash said. He also turned around, meeting eyes with both Jessie and James.

They weren't really in disguise, though they were in plainclothes rather than their Team Rocket uniforms. Jessie decided to disguise their personalities. "So, little br- you sweet little boy, are you headed to Kalos all on your own?" she said.

"Um, yeah," Ash confirmed.

"Maybe your pikachu should be in a safer place for the ride," James suggested.

"They aren't..." Cassidy muttered to herself, shaking her head as she tried to look like she didn't even notice what was going on in front of her.

Ash appeared to study Jessie and James's faces, furrowing his brow as if trying to remember something. He eventually just smiled. "It'll be alright. Pikachu is used to being outside its pokeball. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

With that, Jessie and James said nothing, though they both watched Ash closely before boarding the plane. Ash glanced back at them several times, and they both became absorbed in either their boarding passes or a map, holding it up to their face. Once on the plane, they chose seats far from Ash's, though close enough to keep an eye on him.

"Do you think he recognized us?" James said.

"Did you two mess things up?" Meowth said.

"No!" Jessie declared. "Even if he knew it was us, he didn't say anything. We'll just take care of him when we get off the plane if he tries anything."

"Yeah. We can even say we're lucky, with Pikachu going the same place as us," Meowth said.

"We can capture it and bring it to the boss along with all the other powerful pokemon from Kalos," Jessie said.

"Oh please," Butch muttered as he and Cassidy walked through the narrow aisles past them.

"I hope it won't be too much trouble keeping them on task," Cassidy commented as they found their own seats.

After the long flight, Jessie, James, and Meowth looked around where they'd gotten off, not spotting Ash right away. "He couldn't have gotten far," Jessie commented.

"Why don't you two give it up," Cassidy said from not too far behind them, causing Jessie, James, and Meowth to jump in surprise. "What's with you and this pikachu? It really can't be that powerful. It's not even fully evolved."

"This pikachu is a very special pikachu," Meowth assured. "It's worth our time."

Jessie nodded. "Let's just snag it on our way out."

"Worth our time, huh? Well, not if I say it's not," Cassidy said.

"Yeah," Butch agreed.

"You don't know anything about this pokemon," Meowth said. James nodded in agreement, while Jessie glowered at Cassidy with her arms folded.

"Maybe not, but I do know the boss put me in charge, and I want to do what he assigned us to, not go chasing after some random pokemon, no mater how powerful it is," Cassidy said.

Jessie said nothing, thinking of how Cassidy might change her mind if she saw any number of rare powerful pokemon. But overall, though Jessie wouldn't admit it directly, Cassidy was right. They did need to do what the boss asked of them, and then maybe they could go off and take care of other things while they were there.

"Understand? Good. Let's go," Cassidy said.

"Ordering us around," Jessie muttered as Meowth and James started to follow her and Butch.

"Hm? Something wrong, Jessie?" Cassidy asked, stopping and turning around a moment.

"It's nothing," Jessie said. She was still irritated as Cassidy went on her way, knowing her rival was just trying to goad. Not looking where she was going, Jessie ran into James in front of her. "Move it, James," she growled.

James stopped, looking at the kid in front of them. Ash, Pikachu on his shoulder, stared up at them from the entrance. Neither group said anything, before Ash spoke. "Jessie... James, and Meowth too," he said, narrowing his eyes and frowning. "I thought it was you."

Though they'd originally tensed up and taken a step back as Ash said their names, the group relaxed their posture. Jessie turned to the side, shrugging. "It's us," she said. "And so?"

Ash's eyes widened at the question, as if he hadn't thought of it before. Meowth took the opportunity to jump in. "Yeah, we're just taking a nice trip. We're perfectly passive tourists, not wanted for anything. Here at least."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted out, aggressive now that its partner seemed dumbfounded.

"Nothing that happened before makes a difference in a region this far away," Meowth said, then cackled.

"Pika..." Pikachu began, sparks starting to fly around it.

"Pikachu-" Ash began.

"Look kid, no one's going to steal your pokemon," Cassidy said. "If you and your pokemon cause a scene, you'll be the one in trouble here. Just step aside."

Though only after Butch gave him a light push, Ash did so, Pikachu still scowling. They stared after the Team Rocket members as they left. "I know, Pikachu," Ash muttered, reaching up to pat his partner on the head.

* * *

"It pisses me off," Jessie said as she looked across the way at Cassidy and Butch's campsite.

"They're not doing anything right now, really," James said, observing their two rivals cleaning up the site and putting any equipment away.

"How can you say that! They dragged us here, isn't that enough?" Jessie said.

"It was the boss that told us to come here," Meowth reminded as it shoved a bag toward James's leg for him to carry.

"Based on what they said! Don't you think Cassidy might have just made up this whole story?" Jessie said. She ran a hand across her hair. "I've been thinking about it all since yesterday, and I bet that's what happened. She wanted attention and to seem like her and her partner had actually been doing something, so made this all up, and now we're stuck being dragged along with them."

"If that's true, we'll find out and then let the boss know what's going on from there," Meowth said.

"Right, I think that's all we can do right now," James said.

Jessie frowned at her partners' assessment of the situation, but said nothing. Though she'd very much like to dramatically take control of the situation, their words forced her to consider the consequences. As they went to be ordered around some more, Jessie still mused on ways they might get out of the position of being the subordinate.

Cassidy did indeed give directions, simply telling everyone to follow her. They traveled a few more hours in what was mostly an awkward silence, with some whispers going between the groups, and the occasional greetings to passersby on the path with moderate foot traffic.

Eventually, they got to a path where it didn't seem many had gone before. Jessie began to get irritated, with the various plant life growing thicker and thicker. Eventually, there was an impassible amount of growth. Jessie looked one way, then the other, seeing nowhere to go other than where they'd already been. "So, you've gotten us lost?" she commented to Cassidy.

"Of course not. Butch, you know what to do," Cassidy said.

"Right. Go, Charizard!" Butch said, throwing out the pokeball to release the pokemon. Once it was out, Butch pointed ahead. "Cut!"

The charizard let out a loud call before removing the blockade and revealing the decaying castle not too far away. As Butch returned the pokemon, Cassidy nodded. "Thanks. Don't worry Jessie, you're in good hands with me."

Remaining silent, Jessie folded her arms. They all followed Cassidy to the castle's door. "Now I know you're making this up," she said. "Did you just take us to some random old abandoned castle? Do you even think there will be any pokemon here?"

"Jessie-" James began, wanting to avoid any altercation this early in the mission, before they'd entered the supposed site even. But Cassidy and Butch both glanced at them in unison with blank expressions, unfazed, then turned back to the door.

Cassidy took out the tile key and placed it on the door. The door swung open, and Cassidy turned back to them with a smirk. "I suggest you have some pokemon at the ready."

"Right!" Jessie, James, and Meowth said in unison.

"You guys know which ones'll be best, don't you?" Meowth said.

"Oh, and why don't you put that one away? It's unevolved, and normal type attacks won't work at all against these ghost type pokemon," Cassidy suggested.

"I don't have a pokeball, you can't just put me away," Meowth informed, though Cassidy just shrugged in return with no further comment.

Jessie, James, and Butch took out a pokeball each, holding them as to immediately release them. Everyone took out a flashlight and shined it out as they entered the darkened area. They walked into the dusty room, then turned around as the door creaked, slamming. The whole group turned around to see. The door had been forced all the way open. "Who's there?" Cassidy called out. After a few moments of absolute silence with no one or nothing coming into plain sight, she turned to Butch. "I thought the cliché was supposed to be to shut us in, not open the way out."

"Maybe these ghost types don't know, or it was just the wind," Butch said.

"Let's just move," Cassidy said, turning the other way, which prompted everyone else to do the same. She noticed her eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the dim lighting deeper inside. "Go, Houndoom," she ordered.

With the fire type leading their way against the possible went further down the halls than they had been during their first visit. Cassidy noticed the halls becoming wider. "Hey, Cassidy, are you sure you know where you're going?" Jessie spoke up.

"Not sure at all," Cassidy admitted.

Jessie scowled. "As I thought, you just made up anything you found here, and we're on some wild goose chase," she said.

"I never said that," Cassidy said, her expression sharp as she glanced back at Jessie, though she couldn't see the other woman with the flashlights in her eyes. Cassidy looked back down to the bag she was holding, then took out the pokeball for the pokemon they possibly needed to reach their destination. "Go, Doublade," Cassidy said, throwing the pokeball out into the air.

As Doublade appeared, it let out various loud metallic calls, at one point even seeming to be laughing. "Wha?" Meowth said. As Cassidy glanced back toward the feline pokemon, then back at Doublade, she saw a number of honedge had surrounded it.

"What did it say, Meowth?" Jessie asked.

"Um... it says that they're done with us, so we can leave," Meowth said.

"Hey, look," Cassidy began, trying to keep her voice steady as more and more honedge started circling them. "I know we couldn't do exactly what was asked, but Aegislash was being unreasonable. If we could just talk to it, I'm sure we could all work something out," Cassidy suggested, putting out her arms as if offering something.

Doublade's haunting, clanking cries continued, the pokemon still seeming amused.

"It says we've done enough," Meowth said, then turned to speak to Doublade itself. "Look, our boss isn't going to come just because your pal said so! And it ought to know that, too! Our boss is the king, so any subject ought to come to him instead."

Doublade responded in what appeared a brief comment to the humans. At that, Meowth scowled, muttering, "It's not listening. It just keeps inviting us on out."

"Fine," Jessie said, brandishing a pokeball. "Go, Yanmega!" The pokemon buzzed as it exited its pokeball. "We'll leave, as long as you, and you," Jessie pointed at various honedge. "...well, as many of you that can fit in these pokeballs come with us."

"Jessie, stop," Cassidy ordered. Jessie was jumping the gun. Maybe they'd have to use force, but they weren't at that point yet.

"Why should I? If you're not going to do anything, that doesn't mean that I'm just going to sit around," Jessie countered.

The two women glared at each other. Their flashlights moved around the room, reflecting off the various honedge. "Um, Jessie, I don't think they're gonna listen," Meowth said nervously.

Jessie and Cassidy both looked away from each other and to the enemy pokemon. Various honedge circled them in neat rows. Cassidy held out her pokeball. "Doublade, return!" she said. Doublade did return to the pokeball, then immediately released itself again, this time in front of Cassidy.

Doublade spun around, letting out a louder, sharper call. At once, all humans and non-native pokemon were thrown into the air. Though she consciously tried to hang on to the items, Cassidy dropped both her flashlight and Doublade's pokeball, seeing her companions own fall to the floor. Several honedge descended on the items, busting them to pieces. Cassidy shouted at the loss, and both Jessie and James shouted in their paralyzed state and the even darker state of the room.

"We'll leave! We'll leave! Just let us down already!" Meowth begged. Doublade chuckled, winking as if let Meowth know their opportunity to follow through the easy way was over, then called to its companions again, waving itself around in the air. As it did, all of the Team Rocket members shouted, flying through the air themselves in various directions.

Cassidy felt herself flung toward the exit, seeing several of her traveling companions go along with her. As she returned Houndoom to its pokeball to protect it from damage, their ability to observe the darkened surroundings was all but nullified.

Hitting the ground, Cassidy pulled herself up right away. She rubbed her head, taking solace in the fact she had only minor injuries. Cassidy sent out Houndoom again, and looked around as Houndoom spit out fire for her to see better. "Ah!" Meowth shouted in surprise, jumping up from its temporarily incapacitated state as Houndoom sniffed it. Meowth looked toward Cassidy, scowling. "Good, you're alright," Cassidy said in a somewhat detached voice.

"Ow," James whined, making it easy for Cassidy to locate him as well. "Jessie? Where are you?"

"Looks like she's not here," Cassidy said, having gotten a good look at the rest of the large, dusty room they'd just been thrown into. "I'd like to leave, but we should make some kind of effort to find her and my partner before we just assume they found their own way out. So you two, get up and get ready to move."

James looked down at Meowth, while Meowth looked back up at him, the both of them hesitating.

"Well? Are you ready or not?" Cassidy said, taking any trace of patience out of her voice.

Meowth turned back to her and nodded. "Yeah, fine. Let's go," it said.

"I've got it," James said, throwing out his own pokeball. Cassidy barely saw what pokemon it was before Yamask stepped out of the shadows. "Yamask! Get ready to fight!"

Cassidy nodded, motioning to her temporary partners the direction out of the room.

* * *

Ash wasn't sure why he'd followed them. This group often was the one following him around, disrupting his life and many others. Ash clenched his fists as he thought of it. Yeah, that had been why. They'd always gone about with little care, both Jessie, James, and Meowth and the group he'd seen less often, disrupting everyone, acting like the world belonged to them. In Kalos they were even more brazen, wandering around with a lack of disguise even, mocking Ash because they weren't wanted here and could start any kind of trouble they wanted.

So that was why Ash had followed them, and now stood in front of the creepy, abandoned-looking castle, the sole pokemon accompanying him on his shoulder. "Pikapi?" Pikachu said, glancing toward Ash's face as he stared into the wide-open door.

Ash turned his attention to Pikachu. "You know they're up to something," he said. Pikachu nodded, and Ash paused. Yes, they'd come here without reason, but they did have a right to sight see, the same as any tourist. There weren't any keep out signs on the building or anything.

So Ash didn't know if Team Rocket was really up to anything or not. Since he hadn't seen anyone else going in or out of this castle, maybe Team Rocket had just gone there to catch pokemon. Maybe they'd decided that catching their own was better than trying to steal the pokemon of others. As much as Ash didn't like the idea of pokemon from this region being dragged back to Kanto and forced to work for Team Rocket's ends, there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Maybe he should just let it go, and see if he could find the closest gym, or maybe catch some Kalos pokemon of his own.

Even as he thought this, Ash couldn't even glance away from the open door. Maybe Team Rocket had no real illegal or otherwise unscrupulous intentions here, but he didn't really know either way. "We should go see what they're up to," he said to Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, always ready to follow its partner for any kind of adventure.

As Ash and Pikachu entered, they walked slowly down the hall. Ash noticed it was getting darker as they did, and took out his flashlight. After finding it in his bag and turning it on, Ash heard a loud slam. "What was that?" he asked.

"Piika," Pikachu said uneasily, pointing back in the direction they'd came.

So the door had shut, Ash realized as he noticed the large ribbon of daylight had vanished. Ash was fairly sure the Team Rocket members couldn't have passed him and exited, so it must have been the wind or something. Pointing his flashlight back in the direction he'd been going, Ash continued on his way.


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

Jessie let out a moan of pain. Hearing the sound echoed back through the abandoned hall, Jessie was angered at her own seeming weakness, and decided to shout out the pain instead. "That hurt! You stupid pokemon! You think you can treat us like this? Get back here and all of you get ready to climb into my pokeballs!"

Hearing Yanmega buzzing above her, Jessie reached to one side, then grabbed its pokeball to return it. Sitting up, Jessie reached to her other side, ready to grab one of the objects to throw out into the air. It was dark, and she couldn't see if any of those annoying pokemon were actually there, but since the area was so saturated with them, just by throwing out every pokeball she had, she'd have to hit one by accident, Jessie reasoned.

But before she could attempt it, Jessie realized she'd dropped the bag she'd stuffed full of empty pokeballs the day prior. "No way!" she lamented.

"Hey-"

Jessie stood up and walked to the person that called to her, tripping over something on the floor along the way. It was just Cassidy's partner. As he backed away, Jessie noticed he was carrying her bag of pokeballs, or something that looked like it anyway. Thinking of demanding the bag be returned, she observed him again, seeing him cowering, ducking on the ground with his hands over his head as he looked in Jessie's direction.

Jessie spun around, seeing nothing. Her eyes were starting to adjust more to the dark, taking advantage of the light that poured in through tiny cracks in the wall, and she could even see the blank wall, some kind of painting over it, which didn't appear to be another pokemon. Jessie looked back toward Butch, confused to see him still in that defensive state. "Hey? What is it? What's scaring you?"

"You," Butch said.

"What's that," Jessie began, getting ready to strike him for that cutting remark. "With all these frightening ghost pokemon around, you're telling me you're scared of a diva like me?"

"Yeah, considering last time we were alone you kicked me in the face!" Butch said, putting up hands to protect himself.

Jessie raised an eyebrow, but after considering a moment remembered what he'd been talking about. "Just stop," she said, stepping away with her arms folded. "The Team Rocket motto is a serious thing. Don't say it wrong, then I'll have no reason to retaliate."

Butch did relax somewhat, putting his hands down, though he still maintained distance from Jessie. "How am I supposed to remember whatever stupid version you and James came up with?" he said.

"We just won't say it at all then," Jessie said, glaring at Butch sharply. "Is that fine?"

Butch nodded, standing up slowly.

"It's silly you'd be scared of me, anyway. Shouldn't I be more scared of you? You have a bit of a reputation. I bet you've been having all kinds of weird thoughts about being alone with me." Jessie glanced back at Butch. She hadn't really been expecting him to react negatively to her accusation, but the smirk that plastered his face while staring down at her body took her by surprise. "You'd better not try anything!" she warned.

Butch looked back up, then away. "I don't wanna get kicked in the face, so I wouldn't. Unless you wanted me to. Did you?"

Butch realized he'd pushed things a little too far and braced himself to feel Jessie's boot across his nose, though it never came. He opened his eyes, and noticed Jessie's attention was turned away, though she seemed a little embarrassed. She glared at him again. "You should keep your mind on where exactly we are," she said. With that, Butch felt a little embarrassed himself, and just nodded.

Jessie held out her arm, facing away. "Give me that bag. I want to make sure I fill it up with pokeballs stuffed with these rare pokemon before we leave this creepy place."

"You won't be able to do that," Butch said, flinching as Jessie's annoyed gaze turned his way. "I'm not just saying that! I found this bag when I was looking for everyone. Those pokemon smashed up all the pokeballs. They only missed maybe two, so that's all we have."

A useless amount, Jessie thought to herself, turning away in annoyance. "We should just leave then, shouldn't we? Let's go," she ordered.

Butch silently followed Jessie. As they went around the corner, two honedge appeared in their way. "A perfect coincidence," Jessie commented, then put her hand out for the bag, which Butch handed to her. As he did, she threw out her pokeball. "Go, Wobbuffet! Get ready to counter!" Jessie said, then giggled. "We're still here, when you wanted us to leave," she teased the honedge. "Can't you even defend your own territory?"

"Hey, you shouldn't-" Butch began as the honedge cried out in protest.

Jessie only smirked, ignoring them both. "Show me what you can do," she dared.

Butch took a step back in fear as the honedge attacked, but Wobbuffet perfectly counter-attacked in time. "Wobbuffet," it said happily as it finished.

"Nice one, Wobbuffet. Glad your skills didn't decay when I wasn't around," Jessie said, throwing her final two empty pokeballs out at the knocked out honedge and catching them both. As they walked past the area, Jessie blinked, noticing another one lying disabled on the ground. "You countered this one too?" Jessie said.

"Wobbuffet?" Wobbuffet said, peering toward the pokemon curiously.

"Maybe you got even better when practicing at the base," Jessie mused. "This one can't move. If we carry it out, I bet James or even Cassidy might have an empty pokeball for it."

As Jessie reached for the knocked out pokemon, Butch got between them, grabbing Jessie's hand to stop her. "Wait!" he said.

Jessie glared at Butch before shoving him away. Butch kept his balance as he was forced away. "Don't think you can order me around just because this is your and Cassidy's little pet project. I'll still be thinking for myself," Jessie declared.

"It's dangerous. Don't-" Butch began. Before he could continue, Jessie grabbed the honedge by the hilt, paying no heed to his warning. As soon as she did, this honedge wrapped its sash around her arm and Jessie's face went blank. Butch shivered, remembering when the honedge had taken over his own body. He couldn't recall much, not being completely conscious as the honedge had controlled his movements, but neither the experience nor the aftermath had been pleasant.

Under control of the honedge, Jessie took out the pokeballs of the recently captured pokemon, releasing them both. As the now free pokemon floated off, Jessie gripped the remaining honedge she held tightly and used it to smash both of the pokeballs she'd used to capture the resident pokemon. As she finished, breathing heavily, Butch ran over to her. As he'd predicted, the honedge unwrapped itself from Jessie's arm. Butch wrapped his arm around her shoulder, supporting her. Jessie continued to fall, but Butch still held fast, stopping her before she reached the ground completely.

Holding onto Jessie steadily, Butch reached for a pokeball. "Go, Raticate! Tackle!" he said. Stupid mistake, Butch realized only just after the fact. Raticate's normal type attack went right through the ghost type. Thankfully, Honedge also used a ghost type attack, which didn't affect Raticate either. Butch opened his mouth to give the next order, just as Honedge clanged to the ground.

Wobbuffet turned around not needing to be on alert now that its mirror force move had knocked out the threat. Butch met eyes with the pokemon. Though its expression looked more or less the same as any wobbuffet's would while quiet, to Butch it seemed serious. "She's fine," he muttered, though it seemed ridiculous to him to talk to a pokemon like this.

"Wobbuffet," Wobbuffet replied.

Butch took a closer look at Jessie. The pace of her breathing was still quickened from the heightened level of activity the honedge had demanded, though her eyes were still closed. Butch stared at her in this unusual, for Jessie at least, quieted state, thinking for the second time that day that she was very attractive. Realizing he may be taking too long to just admire this fact, Butch spoke up. "Hey," he said, jostling Jessie's shoulder.

Jessie stirred, sitting up, and struggled to sit up, getting her hands in a position as if to shove Butch away again. Before she could, he got up and moved away. Jessie rose to feet. "What was that?"

"You read our report, so you know that these pokemon have weird powers, don't you? So why did you go picking one up?"

"I don't have time to read Cassidy's nonsense," Jessie declared. "Why didn't you just warn me?"

"I tried," Butch said.

Jessie clenched her jaw, annoyed not just by the argument but also that it seemed Butch was cowering again. His body was tense, turned away from her, his arms up. Apparently he was still afraid of her. Jessie took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh.

"Are you okay then?" Butch asked.

"Hm?" Jessie blinked in confusion. Though he still seemed tense, his expression showed some concern. "I'm fine," Jessie confirmed, brushing herself off a bit. As he held over his arm to offer support, she put up her hand to reject it. Butch's tension appeared gone for the most part. Though Jessie found the uptight Butch unpleasant, maybe enough to kick in the face, she kind of liked how he was acting at the moment. "Next time, tell me it's a warning and I'll listen," Jessie declared.

"Sure," Butch said.

"Thanks for helping then. Maybe it's not as bad to work with you as with your partner," Jessie said.

"She's not that bad," Butch said, defending Cassidy almost as a reflex, though he drank in the offhanded comment as a complement for him personally. How Jessie was acting at the moment seemed pleasant to him. In the darkened light, he looked over her attractive body once more, then smiled. "Neither are you though."

Jessie got the idea of what he was thinking of what he was thinking of when he put on an expression like that. She rolled her eyes. "Let's just get out of here," she said.

"Wobbuffet," Wobbuffet agreed. As Jessie led the way forward, both pokemon and human followed.

* * *

Reaching a boarded-up window, James and Cassidy forced it open, then Meowth peeked out, noting the long fall they'd have into the moat if they slipped while trying to escape in this direction. "One of you have gotta have a pokemon that'll help us get down from here," Meowth muttered, turning back to the humans.

"I don't think I want to leave just yet. We still have a job to do here," Cassidy said.

"Well, I say we regroup and get back to it later," Meowth declared.

Cassidy glanced toward James, who was just silently letting her have a conversation with a pokemon. Jessie's partner apparently considered it to be a normal situation that should go without comment. Though for them, maybe it was. Cassidy considered the situation only a moment longer before she shrugged. "It shouldn't take that long to find some weak honedge and catch it for the boss," she said.

"Weak?" Meowth repeated.

James frowned at the idea as well. "The boss will want the strongest pokemon!" he said.

"And lots of them!" Meowth added.

"Well, I can tell you all don't like being here, and I'm starting to think it's more trouble than it's worth. If we catch the weakest honedge we can find, the boss might think the other pokemon here are just as weak. He'll know we gave some effort and never bother with this place again," Cassidy surmised.

Both James and Meowth frowned at her idea. Meowth shook its head. "The boss wants us to give our best," it began. "We should return with lots of powerful presents!"

Cassidy sighed, turning around. "I don't have a pokemon that could help get us out that way anyway," she said casually before walking away.

Meowth and James both followed. They stopped, hearing footsteps down the hall. James sped up his pace before they met up with Jessie and Butch. "Jessie!" James shouted, running over to her. He stopped short of a hug, since they couldn't be too relaxed in a haunted house around their rivals, after all. Both by Jessie's side, James and Meowth turned to face their rivals/teammates.

Butch had been shoved out of the way by James, and found his way next to Cassidy. Meowth pointed a claw their way. "You all can go follow through with your stupid plan, and we'll do ours," it declared.

"Sure, I'm fine with that. We don't need help anyway, least of all from your group," Cassidy said.

"Um, what's our plan?" Butch asked.

"Capturing the weakest honedge to satisfy the boss that we did our job while never having to go back here," Cassidy said.

"Sounds good," Butch said with a nod.

Jessie crouched down by Meowth, staring warily at Cassidy. "What was our plan?" she asked.

"Catching all of the most powerful honedge we can carry!" Meowth said.

"I don't have any pokeballs left though," Jessie pointed out.

"James does," Meowth said, motioning to James who held out a bag.

"Great plan then!" Jessie made a fist and grinned.

"Hey," Butch began. He put on an awkward grin and looked away as Jessie turned her attention toward him. "I don't think our plan would take that long. If you need help after, we- I could."

"We'll be just fine," Jessie said curtly.

"Yeah, of course. Then maybe we could get together later? Alone?"

Looking up from where he had crouched down to chat with Meowth, James frowned as he observed Butch. The other man's hand wringing, constant glances to the ground, and maybe even sweating as he spoke made it seem like he might be sick. "Is something wrong with him?" James muttered.

"Guess so, if he's going after Jessie. Maybe he hasn't heard what happens to the ones she's not interested in," Meowth said.

What happens to them, James wondered to himself, still frowning. Though he mostly just wondered if Meowth's observations about Cassidy's partner's 'interests' were at all correct. James couldn't really accept them as such. Cassidy's partner was likely just ill. Meowth shouldn't read too much into things.

"I'll think about it," Jessie said.

"Oh, man! Looks like she's interested too! Creepy, huh?" Meowth commented to James.

"What are you two talking about?" Jessie asked.

"Nothing," Meowth insisted as James stood up in surprise.

"Let's move," Cassidy said, rolling her eyes as she turned her back.

With that, the two groups separated. Wobbuffet and Yamask led the way for Jessie, James, and Meowth. It wasn't too far down the hall before they started to hear other footsteps. "Hey, you two can keep away from our stash if you want to keep catching pokemon. The boss will get the best picks from us personally!" Jessie declared, folding her arms as she stepped forward.

However, the footsteps kept coming, no voice to be heard along with them. The trio took a step back, though refusing to retreat. "H-hey," Meowth began, trying not to let it show how the haunted house atmosphere had gotten to it. "It is you guys, right? Speak up!"

Still no one spoke up, though the echoing sound got louder as whoever it was came closer to him. Soon enough it was obvious who it was. Ash stood in front of them. "So it is you. Team Rocket," he said.

"Just the twerp and Pikachu, huh," Meowth commented as its teammates all relaxed.

"Pika," Pikachu confirmed, standing alert on Ash's shoulder.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Ash asked.

"Well since we're here, you'd better prepare for trouble," Jessie began, striking a pose.

"And make it double," James added.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth of love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James."

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Meowth, that's right," Meowth completed the motto.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet added its own agreement before Yamask also spoke up.

"So, you guys are here to-"

"We're here for something that's none of your business," Jessie said.

"Yeah. But while we're at it, we'll take your pikachu," Meowth said with a grin.

"Yeah. This will surely be a powerful prize for the boss, even if we can't get any of the ones lying around here," Jessie said, narrowing her eyes toward Pikachu.

"Right," James said, grabbing hold of a net they'd put in the bag just in case. Though it wouldn't be useful against bladed pokemon, it should catch a pikachu. "Meowth, this one's electric proof, right?" James said.

"Yeah, sure," Meowth said. Though it couldn't really recall, they'd gotten used to Pikachu's electric assaults already. A few more from it captured and contained wouldn't be overpowering. "Let's get it," Meowth declared.

"Pikachu, thunderbolt!" Ash shouted as the rockets approached him menacingly.

"Piiika," Pikachu began. Just as its cheeks sparked to begin the attack, it was interrupted by a loud thud. The small amount of light trickling in from the outside flickered, and some dust rained down from the ceiling.

"What was that?" Jessie demanded.

"Pika?" Pikachu said, looking up to the ceiling along with Ash.

"Even those creepy pokemon weren't that big," James fretted.

"Cool your jets," Meowth said, though its darted around. Eventually, Meowth saw the group of pokemon and let out the first shout. Jessie and James turned its way and shouted themselves at the wall of honedge.

"What's all this? Are they pokemon?" Ash said. He fumbled for his pokedex, but then decided to back away with the rockets once the honedge started approaching. Along with the rockets, Ash and Pikachu ran down the hall shouting. Jessie and James both swung open the door at the end as they reached it, piling into the larger room with their pokemon, Meowth, Ash, and Pikachu behind them. A stream of honedge followed, their clinking calls echoing all around the larger room.

James didn't hesitate to grab onto Jessie this time, terrified at the seemingly endless honedge that piled in. Eventually, the room was filled with them, looking at the humans and foreign pokemon menacingly. James and Jessie both shouted, gripping onto each other tighter, as the larger pokemon entered.

Jessie stood up straight, letting go of James who did the same. "Looks like we've got you right where we want you," she said, trying to show utter confidence, though her gaze flittered from the pokemon, to Ash looking at his pokedex, to the very tempting exit, where various honedge still floated in. They'd be in trouble if these pokemon were to decide to attack. Jessie stepped closer to Wobbuffet, glad it was there to act as a sort of shield, though even her patient pokemon could only take so many attacks before it was knocked out.

Aegislash appeared to ignore them, not even turning to face Jessie as she spoke. Though the 'expression' of such a pokemon would be hard to read, it also seemed pleased, spinning around, and it floated down near Ash and Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, leaping in front of Ash. It arched it back and growled, letting the large pokemon know it was going to protect its partner.

Ash himself looked up from Aegislash's pokedex entry, then putting his device away. "Have those guys been bothering you?" Ash said.

"Not at all," Aegislash said, and Ash's eyes widened at the response. "They've just been doing what I'd led them to."

"So you're working with them?" Ash said, frowning. "They're bad guys that steal pokemon you know!"

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in agreement.

"We're not that bad," Jessie said, smiling tentatively as she put her hands up toward the honedge that seemingly approached them closer.

"Right, we helped you or something, right?" Meowth said to the foreboding pokemon.

"Indeed. And now that you have, I've no more use for you," Aegislash said.

James blinked in confusion. "But we haven't brought you the boss - I mean, your king isn't here, yet, right?"

"Indeed he is," Honedge said, still not moving from in front of Ash. "Serving the fate I wove, he arrived with you."

After sharing that bit of information, Honedge began to glow. "Ah-" Ash began before the glow encased him as well. An ornate door appeared behind him. "Hey.." Ash said, looking to Aegislash for an explanation. His confusion soon turned to panic as a force dragged him in. "Hey!" Ash shouted.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted back. It ran toward the door, then was thrown back by an invisible force.

As Ash disappeared, the rockets stared, dumbfounded. Aegislash then turned to them. "Your role in this story has ended," it said before forcing them all out of the castle in an instant with its spectral power.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Notes_

 _Thanks so much to everyone who commented last chapter! I really appreciate. Hope you all continue to enjoy. This chapter's a little longer than the rest have been, but I think it works well all together._

 **6**

Cassidy rubbed her forehead as she stood up. After blinking a few times, her eyes adjusted to the light, and she saw her similarly disoriented partner looking around as well. All of a sudden, they'd left the creepy castle, and ended up outside in the bright daylight. Turning around, Cassidy saw the castle in the distance. "Hm," she said, frowning. "I suppose Aegislash and friends really didn't want us there," she finally said with a sigh.

"Yeah," Butch agreed, still moving his head around as if to observe. "Maybe we should go and see if Jessie and that one guy are around."

"Right," Cassidy said hesitantly. "About that-"

Before Cassidy could continue, she was interrupted by familiar shouts nearby. As Butch ran toward them, she followed. They reached a clearing where Jessie and James stood, pointing forward at their seviper and carnivine. "Hurry up! Don't you guys miss this time!" Meowth ordered from the ground.

Cassidy and Butch approached the battle scene carefully, looking around for the opponent. A metal clank sounded near their feet, and their attention was drawn to a lone honedge in front of them. It looked to either side of the humans, apparently trying to find an escape.

"Is this thing giving you trouble?" Butch asked, reaching for Charizard's pokeball to take care of the problem.

"Carnivine, bullet seed!" James shouted.

"Carnivine!" his pokemon said before it attacked. As the first few seeds hit the fleeing opponent, the honedge fainted, leaving Cassidy and Butch to dodge the rest.

"Oh, it doesn't look that powerful after all," Jessie said.

"I thought it was going to attack us, but it seems it was just scared," James said.

Cassidy's own bag was lost, so she turned to Butch. "Do you have any pokeballs?" she said. He shook his head, and Cassidy turned back to the others that were supposed to assist her. "You two still have pokeballs, don't you? What are you waiting for? Catch this pokemon!"

"I don't think the boss would be happy with a pokemon that weak," Meowth said with a dismissive wave of its paw.

"Yeah, we can just throw back this small fish," Jessie agreed.

Cassidy fumed. Had they even bothered to listen to her plan and the reasoning behind it before? It was infuriating to have such useless assigned 'help', Cassidy thought, clenching her fist as her anger reached a boiling point. Jessie's carelessness was just too much. "It's a bad idea to spend any more time here. The pokemon in there can expel us just as easy as a sneeze, control our bodies, and even slice us up if they choose!" Cassidy shouted at them, explaining the reality.

Even hearing this explanation, Jessie and her group only showed mild interest. They glanced at Cassidy momentarily before looking back down at the injured honedge. "Are you okay?" James asked. As honedge confirmed it, he smiled. "Up close with just one, these guys aren't that bad, are they?" he said.

"Na. Hey pal, sorry about that," Meowth said.

"It looks like there's a bush of oran berries that should heal you over there," James said, squinting before he pointed to the bush seen previously along the road.

Were they part of a fierce, world dominating gang or not, Cassidy wondered. Turning to Butch to tell him to double check to see if he had any empty pokeballs or not, Cassidy saw he was gone. Instead of next to her, Cassidy's partner had gone over to Jessie instead, apparently not thinking about what he should be himself. "Are you okay?" Butch asked Jessie, glancing around the clearing back to the pokemon that should be being captured and elsewhere, but his attention unmistakably dominated by Jessie in front of him.

"Never better, but what are we going to do next?" Jessie asked.

"We-" Cassidy began.

"Hey, quiet," Meowth said, holding up a hand as honedge floated away.

"What is it, Meowth?" Jessie asked.

"You have an idea what we should do?" James asked.

"Sort of. I've got a feeling that there's a real 'big fish' around here that we should be trying to catch."

After Meowth spoke, the entire group quieted, listening to the area around them. Eventually, rustling could be heard in the nearby forest. The entire group's attention focused on the pokemon there. "It can't be..." Cassidy muttered.

"It's Pikachu!" James declared.

"Without the brat around, it's free for the taking. We've got to get it," Jessie said.

"Just let it go," Cassidy said, though the other two only ignored her.

"Carnivine, bullet seed!" James shouted the order to his active pokemon.

"Seviper, poison tail!" Jessie followed.

Both pokemon went to attack Pikachu, which let out a cry in the shrubbery. Though it had been trying to flee before, Pikachu now ran into the open, grinding its teeth together as its cheeks sparked. "Pika... CHUU!" it said before attacking both Jessie and James's pokemon at once with one move.

"Carnivine!" James cried as his pokemon fainted, putting his hand to his head with worry before drawing the pokemon back to its pokeball.

"Hmph," Jessie said, quickly returning Seviper before taking out her next pokeball. "Go, yanmega!"

"Meowth, quick," James said, tossing over one side of the net to the feline pokemon. They both ran forward, throwing it over Pikachu.

"Pika," Pikachu said irritably, then used its iron tail attack to rip the net open and free itself.

"Uh oh," Meowth said, seeing the irritable electric type facing it with cheeks sparking.

"Yanmega, steel wing!" Jessie shouted. Her pokemon attacked Pikachu, which shouted in pain during the impact, then stood up straight again, launching its electric type attack at Yanmega and knocking Jessie's pokemon out.

"I'll help," Butch said. "Go, Charizard!" he said, sending the large pokemon out into battle. "Charizard, flame thrower!"

"Char!" Charizard called before attacking pikachu.

"Pi," Pikachu said, grimacing and shuddering as the attack hit. "Pika!" it said adamantly, scowling toward the charizard in the sky. "CHUU!" it said, again letting out the electric type attack toward its opponent, causing Charizard to come crashing down.

Cassidy took a look at Butch's embarrassed expression as he returned the borrowed pokemon to its pokeball and thought about telling them all to stop again. But though before she'd just been adding up the cost of caring for all the pokemon Pikachu was knocking out in her head. Now the math she did as Pikachu defeated pokemon after pokemon regardless of size or type match up led to a different curiosity. Cassidy took out the pokeball for the pokemon she'd spent the most time and effort training and threw it out. "Go, Houndoom!" she said. As Houndoom appeared directly in front of Pikachu, she shouted out her next order while pointing at the rouge electric type. "Flame thrower!"

Pikachu again took the heat. It then let out another electric type attack, quickly disabling even Cassidy's favored pokemon in a single attack. Panting, Pikachu looked for the best place to escape.

Cassidy returned one pokemon and just as quickly sent out the next. "Go, Raticate! After that pikachu! Don't let it get away." Cassidy then looked to Jessie. "Let's work together so we can be done with this battle," she said. Reluctantly, Jessie stepped toward Cassidy, listening to her idea. Cassidy then turned to Raticate. "Raticate, bite attack!"

Raticate attacked Pikachu from behind, latching onto the electric type as it bit down on Pikachu's tail. "Pika!" Pikachu cried. As Cassidy had predicted, it became irritated, then turned around, ready to shock Raticate.

"Out of the way!" Cassidy ordered. As she did, Pikachu's attack then hit Wobbuffet instead, its power bouncing back two-fold at the small electric type. Before it could even cry, Pikachu was knocked out. Cassidy folded her arms and nodded. "Well, it's been a long day. One of you carry this thing, and let's head back to camp, shall we?"

James picked up Pikachu. Without any more discussion, the rockets wandered off.

* * *

Reaching the campsite, Cassidy cleaned up, changed, and then went to where Butch was going through their supplies, glancing back at Jessie and James's separate camp. Cassidy sighed. There was so much that she had to deal with at the moment, and this was on the list. "Hey," Cassidy said firmly, folding her arms as she looked toward her partner.

"Hey," Butch said casually, hardly noticing his partner's demeanor as he stared over at their temporary traveling companions.

"This has to stop, right now, before things take a turn for the worse," Cassidy said, stepping in the line of sight to Jessie's camp.

"What?" Butch said, seemingly clueless as to what Cassidy was talking about. He finally looked down at what he was doing. "I was just getting some kind of meal ready. You're hungry, right?"

"Yeah. Not a bad idea," Cassidy said. She twisted her finger around a stray hair, thinking about how she really did want some food before everything else.

"I dunno if Jessie and that guy over there have anything," Butch said. He peeked over Jessie's way again before continuing to cook. "Maybe I should go over and make sure."

Cassidy scowled. "That's what I'm talking about. Stop it. Now."

Butch looked down toward the vegetables he'd been preparing. "We don't have anything better," he said.

"I'm not talking about the food," Cassidy said, waving her hand dismissively. "Whatever thing that started between you and Jessie today, enough. It's the last thing we need."

"What thing?" Butch began to tense up, and stopped preparing the food. "I'm not bothering her or anything. Does it look like she wants me to leave her alone to you?" he asked.

Cassidy shook her head, again sighing. "I couldn't say either way if she enjoys your flirting or not."

"I'm not-" Butch stopped himself, thinking back on the events of the day. He had wanted to act in ways that Jessie would respond favorably to. Was that really 'flirting'? Maybe when he'd asked if she wanted to be alone later counted. Butch swallowed, his face lighting up from embarrassment as he realized what he'd done, and in front of everyone at that. "Yeah, so I like her a little. Not that she cares, or even gets the message."

"Oh, she got the message. And so did I, and so did her partner, and even the talking pokemon, I bet," Cassidy said.

"And no one has any comment, because it's not worth saying anything about," Butch said, turning away from both his partner and Jessie's general direction.

"Don't get like this," Cassidy scolded. "Look, you're right, it's not that big a deal right now. I'm just saying something because I don't want it to become a big deal. If you sleep with her or something then break her heart, it'll be even worse to deal with her then than now."

"That's not fair," Butch said. "I'm not like that."

"Hmph." Cassidy folded her arms again as she thought on it further. It was her first inclination to say that Butch really was 'like that', but he was right, to this point in time, no one he'd been involved with got that upset about how things had progressed, even if nothing had ever been serious. Cassidy relaxed her posture, then put up her arms. "Well, don't think I'm some evil witch trying to get in the middle of true love. I'm not like that either. Just don't get so caught up in the moment that you forget we're here on a job, Romeo. Consider if it's really worth it before you do anything else."

As Cassidy walked away, Butch turned back to his cooking, feeling ruffled. 'True love', that was something he'd wanted badly for a long time, though he'd since learned it wasn't possible. It wasn't something that really existed, after all. If it was, it would be worth messing up any job for though, wouldn't it? But Cassidy used that over the top phrase only because there wasn't going to be anything close to true love here.

He barely knew Jessie, for one. They'd sort of met when training, when Jessie had kept everyone at a distance, though she'd eventually teamed up with James alright. Butch had found her somewhat alluring even then, though her abrasive personality had kept him away, along with Cassidy's dislike of their now rival.

So yeah, he barely knew her. Which means she could turn out to be alright. Maybe even more than alright. That day, she'd thanked him, a rare gesture in competitive Team Rocket ranks, and even said she'd 'think about' spending some time alone with him. Who knew what that time alone could lead to. Maybe Jessie really would like him. He already liked her somewhat, even with just the little he knew about her. Maybe things could develop into 'true love' or something resembling it.

Butch pulled his gloved hand away from the pan he cooked on, noting the burn mark. There he went again. Imagining, wishing, and hoping for something that was impossible. It didn't matter anyway. Jessie was going to say something insulting or otherwise obnoxious to him the next second they interacted, and then he'd let his silly hopes fly out the window, along with any kind of temporary affection he held for Cassidy's rival. Butch continued to cook, trying to get his mind back on the job.

* * *

Since they'd arrived back at camp, Jessie tried to relax, though the ground underneath made it difficult. So they'd captured Pikachu, but not much else had gone well that day. "One of you get some food ready," she said. "And another of you make something that's going to hold that pikachu in place!"

"Aren't you going to help?" James said.

"I'm not even sure we've got much left to eat," Meowth said. "Hey, wait, is that-"

"Oh, it looks one of those honedge," James said.

Indeed it was. The honedge floated over to the ground, some berries floating around them, one at the end of its blade. The honedge threw them all at the ground, letting out some cheerful sounding calls.

"It says it wants to share with us," Meowth said.

"Oh, is it that honedge from before?" James asked.

"Yeah," Meowth confirmed.

"How would a pokemon like that eat anyway?" Jessie asked.

"It says it'll show you!" Meowth translated after the honedge spoke.

"Ah... Never mind," Jessie began, turning away. "Now that I think about it, I really don't want to know. Save some for me, I'm going to try and find some materials to make something for Pikachu."

As Jessie left, Meowth and James sat with the newcomer pokemon. Meowth made conversation with it. "Sounds rough," it said.

"What did it say?" James asked.

"It doesn't really get along well with those other honedge. Its powers were sealed a long time ago, so it can't do any of the amazing things other honedge can. They bully it," Meowth explained.

"I wonder what kind of amazing powers they have anyway," James said.

Honedge floated up higher in the air, letting out various clanky calls as it sliced and spun around in the air, apparently explaining some of those powers in great detail to Meowth.

"Um..." James said, looking to his friend for an explanation.

Meowth just stared upwards, nodding with an intent expression. "Can you really do all that? Could it just be a coincidence?" it asked.

Honedge shook itself back and forth, negating the question. It continued its long explanation. As it did, Meowth's expression grew more intense, and it eventually smiled widely.

Cassidy walked over from her nearby camp, interrupting them. "Is that the lone honedge we battled earlier?" she asked.

"Sure is," Meowth confirmed.

"Good. Let's catch it and then head back to base," Cassidy said.

Meowth waved a claw in the air, tut-turning Cassidy's suggestion. "We're not gonna just do that."

"Hey, do you forget that I'm in charge? You're only here because I told the boss about this place," Cassidy said, feeling silly for arguing with this pokemon, though James seemed to be taking its words seriously.

"Yeah, sure. We'll just break off from your group, and you can go back yourselves since you're in such a hurry," Meowth said.

"Fine. I'll be sure to note all of the insubordination in my report," Cassidy said frankly.

"Hey, Meowth, are you sure about this?" James finally spoke up.

"I'm positive. She's thinking small. She came here in search of pokemon, but there's something a lot more valuable, according to our new buddy here," Meowth said.

"Oh? What's that?" Cassidy said, honestly curious.

Meowth flinched, realizing its mistake. Even so, it had better speak up. "Well, this kind of pokemon, and its evolutions, they have a real special power."

"As we've experienced ourselves," Cassidy said.

"I'm not talking about parlor tricks like we saw today!" Meowth insisted. "You thought that head honcho pokemon was talking about how he wanted a king, didn't you?"

"That's what it asked us to bring, so I suppose so," Cassidy said.

"Wrong! Aegislash doesn't have to find a king, because its hobby is making them," Meowth explained. Honedge hopped up and down, appearing to agree. "So," Meowth continued. "You can see why, even though it wasn't the boss that pokemon wanted, the boss will think it's really valuable if we catch it. Even more valuable than you originally thought!"

"Of course it was the boss. Who else could it be?" Cassidy asked.

"Oh, we hadn't told you," James realized. "Aegislash got the twerp. It said he was the 'king' it was looking for."

"That pikachu's trainer? The one that was at the airport?" Cassidy asked, blinking in bewilderment.

"Yeah, that's the one," Meowth confirmed. "But don't worry about him. What you should be thinking about is all those valuable pokemon inside. They aren't just any rare pokemon. They can influence fate."

"Huh," Cassidy said, not really commenting behind that. Aegislash had said something like that when they'd first met, but she hadn't really paid attention to the idea. She'd never actually thought of fate as a tangible thing, just a vague concept people used as an excuse for why things were the way they were.

"What do you mean by that, Meowth?" James asked, similarly miffed.

Meowth put his paw to his face, giving the question some thought a moment before it spoke again. "Well, it seems kind of complicated, but they can tie people together so that they'll meet, make them bound by destiny or something. Ever wonder why the twerp always meets up with all those rare, powerful pokemon? This is why! Aegislash can make sure of things with its spectral power, things like Team Rocket finally achieving world domination! Why should all that power go to a little brat like him?"

"It shouldn't!" James said.

"I'd agree with that, but those pokemon have already overpowered us twice. There isn't much left to do," Cassidy said with a shrug.

"You're just gonna give up like that?" Meowth demanded.

"Well, how would you suggest we catch that pokemon and gain all of its power?" Cassidy asked, more annoyed than weirded out by having to argue with this pokemon.

"There's gotta be some way," Meowth began, looking up with thought. Honedge replied to it, and Meowth looked the other pokemon's way now. "Really? You'd help us?"

Honedge bobbed itself up and down in affirmation. It continued to speak as Meowth listened, the humans remaining quiet in the background.

"I see. Well, thanks pal," Meowth said, then turned to the humans. "Looks like we've got ourselves a spy on the inside. Honedge here will help us get close enough to catch Aegislash. That pokemon will be distracted with the twerp as its new destiny toy, Honedge says."

Cassidy was silent. She had moved beyond telling them to just catch the weak pokemon and get back to Kanto. The new developments, or at least new insights made it seems like it might be worth it to stay and try and find other ways to capture these pokemon, especially Aegislash. They'd be difficult to train, but with powers like possibly manipulating destiny, who wouldn't want to have one?

Jessie came back into the opening. She frowned as she saw Cassidy before nodding at James and Meowth. "There, I got everything you should need. One of you two go make Pikachu a good cage," she said.

"About that pikachu," Cassidy began.

"Hey, even though we all failed splendidly at what you wanted us to do, we finally succeeded at catching it, so don't try and say we should just let it go like it's worth less than the worthless honedge you wanted to catch," Jessie said.

"Hey, she didn't mean it," James consoled the honedge as it sagged in its floating stance.

"This pokemon's gonna help us out with catching Aegislash!" Meowth said.

Jessie shrugged. "Pikachu's still more powerful, even if she tries to act like we've just caught any random unevolved pokemon," Jessie said while pointing an accusing finger Cassidy's way.

"The contrary Jessie, I can see after that battle, as anyone would, just how powerful the pikachu you've just acquired is," Cassidy admitted. Since Cassidy was only agreeing with the assessment, Jessie had nothing further to say, even if Cassidy herself did. "It's really special. I'll happily take it for my team."

"No way!" Meowth was the first to speak out, even though Jessie and James soon showed their displeasure as well.

"That pikachu's ours!" Jessie added.

James nodded. "We're the ones that have gone through so much to catch it," he said.

"If it were up to you, we would have just let it escape, right?" Jessie pointed out.

Cassidy calmly peered away. "Yeah. My mistake," she admitted, then smirked as she had another thought. "So, one of you will be training it to assist us then?"

The other rockets were silent now as they thought of the possibilities themselves. For the most part, they'd only ever shoved Pikachu into a cage or net, not thought too much about being its trainer themselves. In fact, Pikachu probably wouldn't cooperate at all if they tried.

Finally, Meowth shared what they'd planned to do with Pikachu all along. "All powerful pokemon belong to Team Rocket. Don't be so selfish as to keep this one to yourself. We'll hand it over to the boss!"

"And then what will he do with it? Present it to a valued agent, I'm assuming. Maybe someone like me," Cassidy mused, still facing away so that they couldn't notice her widened smirk.

"That would be for the boss to decide when we get back. Not you," Jessie said firmly.

"So, you plan to just keep it locked up without exercise for the rest of our trip? Won't that weaken it over time? And we might be here a while going after Aegislash, who knows." Cassidy paused. The group was silent again, so moved in again with her suggestion. "Well, if neither of you want to be its trainer, I'd be willing to. Then of course, when we get back we'd present all captured pokemon to the boss.."

After speaking in hushed tones to each other, the group turned back to Cassidy. "Well, maybe Pikachu should have a trainer that's not one of us, for now," James began nervously.

"Not that I couldn't handle it, but I have five pokemon already," Jessie said.

"You'd better take good care of it, and not let it get away!" Meowth said.

"Right, of course," Cassidy said casually to all of their comments. She followed Meowth to their tent, where Pikachu lay, blinking, apparently just starting to come back to consciousness. Right, she'd take care of it. What use would it be to her otherwise. And would she let it get away? No way.

Had it been a pikachu that Cassidy had wanted when she was little? Just how little, she couldn't recall, maybe two or three. The unexperienced girl she was saw a cute electric type and immediately took a liking to it. She recalled standing there, just staring at the pokemon, one of many being sold by a vendor. Her mother had let her for a while, apparently involved with something else. That pokemon had beaten up the others with its flashy attacks before adorably napping. Cassidy had wanted it more than anything.

Of course it had been denied, just like everything else she'd wanted. Any small thing was too much, always out of the question, even wanting a drink of water when thirsty or a blanket when cold. So of course a pokemon to take care of was out of the question. Cassidy had never had any pokemon until she'd joined Team Rocket, though she could recall wanting one throughout her childhood. And always, when she saw one of those overly cute rodent-like electric types, she'd thought of the first time one had been refused to her.

The feelings of the memory were strong, even if the details weren't. Though that memory of wanting the pokemon had faded since she'd finally gotten her own, seeing Pikachu now had brought it back. Cassidy would treasure this pokemon not just for that little bit of nostalgia, but also be able to appreciate it as the adult she was now. It had taken down so many of their pokemon with ease, so it might also take down their enemies easily as well.

Cassidy thought of the current use while channelling the girlish want for the pokemon she'd never gotten as she watched the sleeping pokemon. Pikachu had closed its eyes again, still not ready to completely wake up, which was understandable considering the beatings it had taken. She'd take care of it for sure, Cassidy thought as she grabbed a cloth and an empty pokeball from their bag. Wrapping Pikachu up, Cassidy got out of the tent and started to wander back to her camp.

Jessie watched them go, soon becoming distracted as her stomach growled. "Hey, what's left for me?" she asked. Both Meowth and James peered around, and Jessie could see there was nothing left on the ground where their new pokemon friend had put the offered berries. "You ate it all without me?" she demanded.

"I'm sorry, Jessie," James said, more or less confirming her suspicions.

"We just didn't think about it," Meowth added before it turned to Honedge. "Maybe you could find some more?"

Jessie grit her teeth together, scowling. She then looked toward the camp nearby, where Butch stood in front of the campfire, cooking something. It could be better than just some random berries, and Cassidy wasn't nearby. It wouldn't be too terrible to take advantage of that guy's obvious crush on her to get some better food. "Never mind," Jessie said, following the smell as well as the sight as she walked toward the nearby camp.

"Jessie?" James asked tentatively.

Jessie ignored him, still making her way to the rival's campsite. As she got there, she stood in front of the campfire with her arms folded. "Hey, Ca-" Butch began, then stood silent as he noticed who it was, unable to move his now numbed body.

"There's enough there for me, right?" Jessie asked. "Your partner wandered off who knows where with our prize, so just give me her share if there's not."

"There's plenty-" Butch paused, realizing she might invite her pals over if he put it that way, and he'd much rather be alone with her. "I mean, I'll make more so there's enough for you."

"Thanks," Jessie said, sitting nearby. "Wow, you have noodles? Stir fried with vegetables? Are they fresh?"

Butch nodded, surprised by Jessie's enthusiasm. It was one thing for her to thank him, twice now, but another to be nice like this. Though it didn't have to mean much, except that she was hungry, of course. "I got some in town while we picked up our other supplies," he said.

"It's kind of blowing cash to just spend it like that. Who knows how long we'll be here now." Despite Jessie's judgmental words her expression brightened as Butch handed her the fresh food. She ate it, quickly but neatly, finishing before Butch himself. Butch forced himself to finish his own portion, but then noticed that Jessie still sat with him, not rushing back to her camp at all as he'd thought she might.

Not that she was there 'with him' exactly. Instead, Jessie had put her plate aside, appearing to be daydreaming as she admired the landscape. Butch started to clean up, still very aware of the other rocket's presence. He glanced back Jessie's way frequently, but she didn't move, either to help him or to leave. "Hey," Jessie said, interrupting him just as he had almost finished put the cooking supplies away.

Butch looked up in surprise, but tried to stay cool. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Did you want to sleep with me or something?"

Butch tensed up. For her just to ask outright was weird, though it wasn't the first time things had developed that way for him. The answer was, of course, 'yes', but he stood silently, not saying anything. Like Cassidy had said, that could make things awkward. Plus, he'd been having his own weird thoughts about impossible outcomes that would make just doing it with her all of a sudden and leaving seem kind of cheap. So he'd refuse. For what Cassidy had said to him, he thought consciously. "Um, no," Butch muttered his lie, though in a way it was also the truth.

"Good, because you're not going to," Jessie said with a smirk. "I'm nothing like those other girls you mess around with."

"I know," Butch said, taking another longing glance Jessie's way as he recalled his wish that things might turn out differently between them than any other woman he'd been involved with. He could see Jessie was surprised by his reaction, and turned away, feeling a little flustered himself. He could hear Jessie standing up, and looked back, not really wanting her to go away. "You're something else," he said, embarrassing himself further. "I guess I wouldn't have a chance."

Without a word, Jessie turned and walked away, seeming to affirm that self-assessment. Butch looked away from her, trying to continue with what he'd been doing as if he didn't feel humiliated in the least. But his deep-seated embarrassment remained, even if he were the only one to notice any sign of it. His face flushed and his chest ached. Painful major rejections decorated his life, but little ones like this still hurt for some reason. He should have just said yes to Jessie's question and found out where it would have gone from there. But it was too late for that.


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

Ash opened his eyes, shouted out as he realized he was floating in mid air through a place he couldn't recognize as anywhere he'd been, maybe not even anywhere on the planet. The dark landscape spread out into infinity, not ending even as he looked down. Ash reached for his pokeballs before recalling that he'd left everyone back at Professor Oak's other than Pikachu. His friend wasn't on his shoulder, nor anywhere else he could see. "Pikachu!" Ash shouted out.

He heard a sound from the distance, metallic in nature. Seeing something coming at him and no way to run away, Ash first waved his hands as if to swim, then put them in front of his face and squinted his eyes shut. As no impact came, Ash eventually peeked through his arms, then put them down, seeing Aegislash in front of him. "Where's Pikachu?" he said.

"I expelled it. In our world, mundane pokemon can interfere with our spectral power," Aegislash explained. "In any case, only you were needed here. Welcome to my domain, my future king."

"Huh?" Ash said, silent after the abnormal greeting. He soon got his mind back on track though. "Where's Pikachu!" he demanded again.

"I can assure you that one is just fine. Wouldn't you rather know more about where you are, my benevolent future king? I've brought you to my world before sending you to the world of all, to reach your destiny and rule the masses."

Ash shook his head at Aegislash's words. "Why do you keep talking about things that make no sense? I just want to know where my pikachu is!"

"Of course. Caring for even the individual members of the meaningless masses is one of your many admirable qualities, which is why I chose you."

"Pikachu isn't meaningless. It's my best friend!" Ash insisted. He waved his arms back and fourth to try and move himself and approach Aegislash, but couldn't get very far.

"Yes, I understand your current sentiments. I knew you'd be worried about the one you cared for, so I made sure its fate would be tied to someone else when you'd have to leave it behind to take your fated role," Aegislash explained. Ash still stared at it cluelessly. "Perhaps I'd better start from the beginning."

Ash was silent as Aegislash waved itself in front of him, and then noticed a bold red strand stretching out from his arm. Eager to have something in the environment he could interact with, Ash took hold of it with both his hands. But before he could try to pull himself to wherever the rope led, a sentiment overtook him. "Pikachu..." he said.

"Correct. This is the thread of fate that connects you to that pikachu," Aegislash said. "Threads of fate connect all of us who influence each other's destiny. I've made sure that pikachu is connected to one that will care for it, the same as you are connected to many."

Aegislash waved itself in front of Ash again, causing more and more threads to appear attached to him. Ash touched them one by way, feeling right away who they were connecting him to. His mom, the professor, Gary, various friends he'd traveled with in the past, both human and pokemon alike. Eventually, he came across threads that connected him to Jessie, James, and Meowth. "Those guys... Why would I be connected to people like them?" Ash asked, scowling.

"Though it hasn't always been positive, they've had a great impact on your fate on numerous occasions, haven't they?" Aegislash said. Ash appeared to consider that possibility, and Aegislash continued. "Of course, the same can be said for you to them, but that's only natural. You have an innate ability to influence the destinies of others."

"Really?" Ash said, looking at Aegislash curiously as he let the idea start to sink in. "I don't think I do."

"But just look at all of the threads of fate connected to you," Aegislash said, sweeping across the unnatural 'room' as it saw all of the threads connected to Ash.

"That's just because I met them, because we're friends or something."

"Oh? Well, of course, I had filtered your vision to allow you to see some, but not all of your connections. Just the most current and the most strong. Would you like to see all of the threads of fate connected to you, past, present, and future?"

Ash nodded uncertainly. It might be interesting, but wouldn't that also take the fun out of living the future, seeing everyone he was going to meet, every pokemon he'd ever catch or befriend? "Um," Ash began, about to reject the previous offer. Before he could, more and more threads started to appear. Of people he'd met in the past, pokemon he'd battled only once. Then he became excited, seeing faces in Kalos of people he'd admired and wanted to meet.

But the red threads still kept appearing. They cast out of every inch of his body, overlapping thousands and then millions of times.

Now there was only a sea of red, connecting him to every being on the planet. Unable to handle all of the input, Ash opened his mouth to scream, instead blacking out that same instance.

* * *

Jessie returned to the camp she'd set up with James and Meowth to see the two of them smiling, the berries piled up high in front of them. "Here Jessie, we got you some more," James said.

"No hard feelings, right?" Meowth added.

"No, everything's fine. You can save those for later. Or maybe our pokemon might like some," Jessie said. She then threw out all of her pokemon that had become battle weary earlier in the day. "Have a feast, everyone."

"I guess she ate with that one guy," Meowth said.

"I think there's something weird about him," James commented.

"Yeah? I think it's more likely there's something weird about you. I don't like that guy, but he seems pretty normal to me," Meowth said.

Jessie sighed. Meowth wasn't too far off the mark there. Butch was normal, having this kind of interest in her, even saying she was different than just anyone would be. But Jessie didn't really want just any guy who felt that way, said those things. If she did, she could have settled long ago, many times in the past. Someone like her could be choosey. It was too bad she'd become set on the guy that was perpetually turned off by her. Well, she could get over him, the same as she'd gotten over others in the past that couldn't measure up to her standards.

Just as Jessie thought that, James came and wrapped his arm around her. She at first looked around in surprise, then relaxed into his embrace. If nothing else, it was nice to have someone that was always there.

James felt Jessie's surprise, and felt a bit sheepish. It wasn't a moment of high emotion that he'd decided to show affection during, but a peaceful lull. Luckily Jessie had just relaxed, so everything was fine, wasn't it? James decided so, and held Jessie closer.

Jessie pulled away, just to pull closer and kiss him. Yes, James was here, and he was willing, so she could enjoy giving and taking affection like this. Things really had been lonely, for a long time, much longer than someone like her should have to be lonely for, Jessie thought. But with James, all of that loneliness had lifted, despite all of the other issues they dealt with.

Pulling apart before anyone noticed them, Jessie and James returned their pokemon to their pokeballs, and then went to sleep. Before they finally drifted off, Jessie felt James grab her hand. Before completely falling asleep, she squeezed it back. What were those issues again?

* * *

As Cassidy put more wood on the fire, she noticed that Pikachu was finally starting to stir. She wasn't going to just heal it right out, though she had the supplies. Given how resistant it would likely be to being her pokemon, she had to be careful. So she was going to slowly heal it while feeding it berries, and had also caught it in the empty pokeball, the kind that would ignore if a pokemon had previously been captured.

So now that Pikachu was blinking its eyes, trying to get used to where it was, Cassidy released her Houndoom and Raticate, and gave them one berry each. Then she poked her new pokemon. "Hey," Cassidy called.

"Pi?" Pikachu slowly looked up. "Pi pikachu?!" it said, immediately tensing up and going on the offensive. Though it must still be exhausted and not at all battle ready, Pikachu's cheeks started to spark.

Cassidy sighed to herself, though she was also somewhat amused at the pokemon's reaction. Instead of trying to beat it down before it attacked, she turned away. "Do you want another, Houndoom?" she asked before giving it a berry. "And you, Raticate?" Finally, Cassidy turned to Pikachu. "And how about you, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said as it turned its head to indicate a negative response to her offer though it still kept its eyes on her. "Chuuu..." it began as more sparks flew off its cheeks.

"So you're not hungry now?" Cassidy asked. "Well, maybe later." Cassidy placed an oran berry in front of Pikachu, before turning to her pokemon and feeding them more and more, all the while giving them more attention and pets than she normally did. Pokemon liked that kind of thing. Pikachu would warm up soon enough, and come to her and demand more of the same. Cassidy just had to pile the affection onto her other pokemon more and more until it did.

After a while, Cassidy turned back to her new pokemon, only to see the berry she'd left half eaten and the pokemon slowly dragging itself away. So that was how it was going to be, Cassidy thought with some annoyance. She pulled out her new pokemon's pokeball and returned it, then right away releasing it right in front of her.

"Pika?!" Pikachu said, disoriented. It turned to Cassidy, realizing what had happened when it saw the pokeball in her hand. "Pikachu!" it shouted roughly.

"That's right," Cassidy confirmed. "You're now my pokemon. Your old master has nothing left to offer you."

"Pikapi, pikachu!" Pikachu insisted.

"I guess you must be saying how he was taken or whatever, had no choice in the matter, something like that? Right, I know. But now he's as good as abandoned you. I'm all you've got."

"Pika," Pikachu muttered. "Pikachuu!" It aimed its electric attack right as its self-declared 'master'.

Cassidy's raticate ran in front, taking the attack itself. Cassidy scowled at Pikachu, gritting her teeth together. "Stop!" she shouted at Raticate before it attacked, then softened her tone only slightly to speak to her new pokemon. "Alright Pikachu, that was my one freebie. One attack without retaliation. Go ahead and attack again, and then see what happens from there."

"Pika." Pikachu practically choked on its cry. Tears welled up in its eyes as it thought of Ash being taken away, Pikachu unable to help him. And now, Pikachu's best friend was unable to help Pikachu itself. "Pi..."

"It's alright, Pikachu," Cassidy said. Despite the likely danger of being shocked, she went over to Pikachu and scooped it into her arms, hugging it the way she recalled wanting to hug that other electric type as a girl. As Pikachu decided not to shock her, she squeezed it just a little tighter. "I know how you feel," she muttered. But who would believe that hollow-sounding statement, pokemon or human? Cassidy did think she knew how Pikachu felt, but that wasn't what the pokemon needed to hear at the moment. "I mean, I'm going to take care of you, so you don't have to worry."

"Pikapi..." Pikachu cried, and then scowled again. It struggled, scratching to get out of Cassidy's hug.

Cassidy let it go. "You know, I picked you up as just a stray, abandoned pokemon. I'm going to stay here and go after that pokemon that took your master away. For my own reasons, but who knows, maybe I'll find that kid in the process. Then I'd have no reason to keep you, with your master back to take you."

"Pi," Pikachu said with a nod, appearing to relax just with that lie. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie, just that Cassidy figured the truth would still change. Right now she could consider that Pikachu's previous performance had been a fluke, brought on by all the anger it had from its master being dragged away and then people trying to capture it. But she had a feeling it wasn't, from both from Jessie and James's assessments of the pokemon as well as the sheer amount of power it displayed. She'd likely find plenty of reasons to keep this pokemon even if its old master returned.

Right now, Pikachu looked toward Houndoom, who was finishing off its berry now that Pikachu no longer appeared a threat. Cassidy went and got another, then gave it to her new pokemon with a smile.

She had to stay up late with the pokemon, slowly but surely nursing Pikachu back to health. As morning came, Cassidy woke up feeling groggy, and Pikachu stayed asleep, napping happily. Cassidy decided she'd let it, at least for a while. Training with it, not that it needed the improvement with skills, just to get used to the direction of a new trainer, was something she wanted to do early on in the day. There were other things to take care of, but since she had the extra help, she could disperse her underlings to do so.

Butch had already been up, before her at that. Jessie and James on the other hand, she had to go wake up. Cassidy did so grudgingly, wondering why they seemed so annoyed at her doing so. Could they even keep up with all their work when they slept in all the time? Once she was sure they were actually getting up, Cassidy went back to her camp, wondering why she should have to act like their mom or something.

Once all of her underlings gathered together, they looked ready to work and Cassidy felt in better spirits as well. "Well, I see two things we need to need to take care of today. Well, three, but don't bother about the third, I'll do it myself," Cassidy said. She didn't want to argue with them about how training her new powerful pokemon would be important to the group as a whole later. Butch would understand, but Jessie felt the need to pick a fight about any little thing.

"And?" Jessie said with a frown, confirming Cassidy's suspicions.

"First, I need someone to write a report to send back to the boss. He should know we're working as fast as we can, but our stay may be extended.

"I'll do that," Meowth said.

"I'll have James take care of that," Cassidy said. As if she'd let a pokemon do something that important. Butch wasn't good at it either, but she'd read some of James's reports and his writing was coherent, and he seemed to have an ability to convince others that his and Jessie's nonsense wasn't nonsensical through it.

"Right," James agreed as Meowth frowned.

"And also, Butch, I'd like you to investigate that castle. Don't jump into anything, just look around, see what you can find out.

"Right," Butch said.

"And that's that," Cassidy finished her orders with a shrug.

"What about me?" Meowth asked in irritation.

"And me?!" Jessie said, even more annoyed than her group's pokemon.

"Oh," Cassidy said, putting a finger to her chin. "Um, you wanted to help with the report, right?" she said to the talking pokemon before turning to Jessie, having an even longer silence as she thought of what to do with her. "I guess you can also help James."

"That sounds boring," Jessie said, scowling. "James doesn't need any more help with that anyway. Maybe I should help with whatever you're doing. What are you doing again?"

"No, Butch could probably use your help more than me," Cassidy said, realizing her mistake just as soon as she'd spoken. Those two alone was something she'd wanted to avoid.

But Butch jumped right in before she could correct anything. "Yeah, it would be great to have your help," he said, grinning in that awkward way he did when he was interested in some girl.

Cassidy said nothing else since it seemed everyone was overall satisfied with their assignments. As everyone went off to perform their own duties, Cassidy went to get Pikachu and get started on her own pet project.

* * *

As she approached the castle, Jessie saw right away that things looked the same as just yesterday. "I don't know what she expects us to find," Jessie commented, one hand in the air. "We already know what's here. A bunch of dangerous pokemon with weird powers."

"Which is why she didn't want us to just rush ourselves on in," Butch said as he stared up at the building. "We're just gonna see what we can see from here."

Jessie nodded, and followed as Butch began to walk around the building, a safe distance from both it and the moat. "Look, an opening," he said, pointing to a window that appeared open rather than covered. Jessie did look, all the while thinking maybe they shouldn't be looking, and instead run out of sight. But there was no sign of activity from the window, so Jessie couldn't bring herself to feel all that apprehensive about things.

She walked around calmly with Butch to the next side. Far from anxious, she was becoming a little bored. "It doesn't seem like you needed me much either."

"Well, it might be useful to have another trainer around if those pokemon jump out and attack, but I guess I had other reasons for wanting you to come," Butch admitted.

Jessie stopped herself from any girlish fluster, though she was a bit surprised to hear him make an admission like that. "Hmph. It sounds like you, these ulterior motives. So, what would make me any more different than anyone else?"

Jessie had expected maybe a grandiose explanation of her beauty and other virtues, but Butch's real answer what short and simple. "For some reason, I like you a lot," he said calmly, glancing toward Jessie before putting his head down into his notes again.

Now Jessie really was feeling flustered, but just channeled that feeling into her anger. "What makes you think you think you even have the right to like me?" she demanded.

Butch's expression went cold for a minute before he forced it into a smile. "I guess I don't. Pretty stupid, huh?"

Of course it wasn't stupid to like her, Jessie thought, her face turning red. She'd just wanted a little more of an explanation, that was all. "Right," Jessie said, trying to become just as absorbed in watching the building as Butch apparently was. But the distraction of the conversation was just too much. "What would your partner think if she knew you were romancing another woman?"

"She knows, doesn't care," Butch said as he put his notes back into his bag.

That kind of flirting would be hard to miss, and thinking back, Jessie couldn't recall Cassidy's reaction, other than it being pretty mild. "She doesn't mind being just another on your list of conquests?"

"I don't think about it like that. Plus I've never slept with her."

"Really?" Jessie said. She'd always assumed they had, even if it wasn't serious. Unlike James, Butch was pretty 'normal' after all.

"Yeah," Butch said. "There were a couple times I thought it would happen, but she didn't want to, so that's that."

"Sound frustrating," Jessie said, thinking it all sounded a bit similar to her recent encounters with James. "I bet you're really frustrated. Doesn't it piss you off? You want to get away from her?"

"No," Butch said without even having to think about it. As Jessie remained in a surprised silence at his response, he continued. "She's my partner even without that. She's been there for me, and no one else has. Ever. Should I say that's worthless just because we aren't fucking?"

Jessie was still silent. That was a pretty virtuous response. Jessie felt similarly. Even if others had 'been there' for her in her life, it was fairly rare. James had been most insistent about being so. Even when she was sure he'd leave her behind, he always ran to catch up with her. Though things weren't exactly the way Jessie would like, the current state of her relationship with James was something she should value, and not scorn because of something like that.

"Plus that leaves me open for you," Butch said.

"Me and everyone else, huh?" Jessie said.

"If I were with you, I wouldn't need anyone else."

"Hmph." Jessie chuckled slightly. Of course Butch wasn't frustrated, because he'd find a way to have that need met otherwise. It was silly for her to see this pervert as virtuous in any way. "Come on," she said, turning away from the castle and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Butch asked, remaining in the same place.

"You're finished aren't you?" Jessie asked, turning back toward him.

"No, next I thought we'd check out inside."

Jessie wrinkled up her face as she thought of their last 'adventure' in there. "Hey, didn't we want to avoid a fight?" she said.

"So you didn't notice what I did when we were walking around?" Butch asked.

Jessie paused to think. She should have paid attention to the task like he had been, but she really hadn't noticed anything. Then again, that was the point. There were no creepy ghost types flying around, no eerie metallic calls, nothing. "There wasn't much of anything. So, you're wondering..."

"If they're even in there," Butch said, though he took out a pokeball just in case as they approached the bridge that went over the moat. "Yeah, we want to avoid a fight, but we can't find out that important detail unless we see for ourselves."

Jessie nodded, getting her own pokeball ready to go. When they got to the door, the tile-like key was already there from the other day. Butch simply readjusted it to get the door to open again. Jessie followed behind, her pokeball for Wobbuffet within reach. That pokemon really was useful, Jessie considered.

But there was really no need to use it. As they went further and further in, there was no sign of the known residents. Not only didn't they see any honedge or evolutions, but they didn't hear them, and windows that were shut tight the previous day were now wide open, making the place look a lot less like a haunted house than before. Jessie was on alert when they'd first entered, but now walked around relaxed, becoming bored in the dusty old castle. She stopped, creaking open the shutter to a window that was only half open. "Our prizes have left. That's kind of troublesome, isn't it?" Jessie observed.

"Yeah. Well, maybe we'll see or hear a sign of them," Butch suggested.

Jessie shrugged, turning away from the window. As she did, she heard a crash. Startled, Jessie went and ran to Butch, grabbing hold of him before she found her own pokeball. "Hey. Hey," Butch called, shaking her arm. "It's okay. That old wood just fell apart, that's all."

Jessie took a look at the shutter she'd just opened now on the floor, no creepy pokemon in sight or anything. Sighing in relief, Jessie eventually looked at the person next to her. Butch looked away, his face flushed, though he hadn't pulled away from Jessie's sudden embrace. As Jessie studied his face, he turned back to her, his hand touching hers. The slight movement surprised Jessie, though she didn't pull away either. After they stood close to each other a while longer, Butch spoke. "It really is fine. Looks like there's no threat at all here."

"Right," Jessie said. There was another silence, the two of them still pushed close to each other. Eventually, Butch moved close to her, first turning to face her, then closing his eyes and leaning his face toward hers. Jessie felt her heart speed up. The duration it took for Butch to finally kiss her seemed like forever.

She only realized how long it was taking him in actuality after Butch opened his eyes, looking away without completing the task. "Sorry," he said.

Just seeing and hearing his reaction, Jessie felt a surge of annoyance. "Why's that?" As he didn't answer her, Jessie glared at him. "Do you really think what we were about to do was so terrible?"

"Of course not," Butch said. "I mean, I guess you did..."

Why would she? She'd actually been eagerly anticipating the moment, but then it had stopped, similarly to how James always frustrated her. Right, she'd just been kissing James the previous evening. She'd be cheating to kiss a different guy today, wouldn't she?

Except it wasn't cheating at all, because she and James weren't _really_ involved. Not to mention James had made it clear he didn't want to be. Butch talked like he was serious about her, but even if he wasn't, this would still be nice, the same as with James. If they both wanted to, why hesitate?

There was no reason at all to deny herself this. Jessie took the initiative, leaning toward the man next to her and kissing him. She half-expected him to flinch or otherwise reject her. Instead he pulled her closer, kissing her back with enough intensity for Jessie to forget that she'd even considered any negative outcomes in the first place. Jessie pulled him closer as they continued to make out, encouraging him to touch her more and enjoying how he did.

They ought to head back soon, Jessie considered. Even so, she knew she could take as much time as she wanted, since it didn't seem like the person she was with had a place he'd rather be. Jessie decided to forget the time for the moment, and instead savor the various feelings and sensations that came with being wanted.


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

Sleeping in the blanket was warm and relaxing. Pikachu had woken up several times that morning already, but entranced by the dim lighting of the tent and the sound of the wind outside, it decided to simply drift back into slumber. It sighed happily, enjoying its soft bed and the warmer air.

Then the tent opened wide, and a rush of cooler air came inside. Pikachu shivered from the sudden sensation. It opened one eye and saw Cassidy was the one who had entered. It decided to tolerate her intrusion, that is, until she spoke.

"Come on then, Pikachu, it's time to get up. You should be all rested and healed now."

"Pika," Pikachu muttered, turning away from the annoying human to continue its sleep. It was healed up for sure, but that didn't mean it wanted to get up and think about the remaining downfalls of its situation.

"I want to make sure that you're in top shape when we fight that pokemon you hate, but..." Cassidy paused, noting that Pikachu was completely unaffected by her words. "It's not really up for discussion." With that, Cassidy scooped Pikachu up herself before getting out of the tent.

"Chuu..." Pikachu scowled, thinking of when might be the best time to shock this person and return to its rest. Since it knew it wouldn't be able to return to that relaxed state easily after attacking, Pikachu decided to just silently go along to wherever it was being taken.

Not too far from their campsite, Cassidy placed Pikachu on the ground in a clearing. Then she threw out the pokeball for Houndoom, releasing it where it would be in the best position to battle her new pokemon. "Here we are," Cassidy said, standing in the middle of her two pokemon. They were just practicing, so she wasn't behind either one of them. "Now Pikachu, I'd like to see what kind of moves you know. Your thunderbolt and iron tail attack look very practiced, and what were the others I noticed? Electro ball and quick attack? Nothing defensive, but with your power, maybe that works."

Pikachu closed its eyes and turned away. "Pika," it said.

Cassidy ignored her new pokemon's disdainful attitude and continued. "Let's try it out. You'll be battling Houndoom here."

"Pika," Pikachu repeated, turning its back to both pokemon and human.

Cassidy threw up her hands in a shrug. "And here I thought you were the same as me, knowing you couldn't get by just based on how cute you were."

"Pi," Pikachu whispered, glaring over its shoulder at its self-declared trainer. It already know that it couldn't get anything of importance just based on how it looked. Pikachu used its own power to establish itself anywhere. Maybe it should do so right now. "Pika CHU," Pikachu said as it powered up its electro ball attack. "Cha!" Pikachu fired the energy straight at the human that thought she could order it around.

Houndoom had already raced in front of the attack, taking the hit so its trainer would be safe. It growled at Pikachu, but didn't attack before ordered.

"Houndoom, flame thrower," Cassidy said calmly, though she still scowled before stepping to the side again, so Pikachu would know she wasn't on any pokemon's 'side' in this fight. "Pikachu, thunderbolt."

Houndoom followed the order immediately, but Pikachu disobeyed. First trying to avoid the attack, it rolled closer to Houndoom, still flinching as it felt some of the heat. Pikachu then tried its iron tail attack, hitting Houndoom across the face. Houndoom growled, though still waited for Cassidy's order to retaliate.

"Pikachu, I said thunderbolt. Houndoom, repeat," Cassidy said. She sighed as Pikachu tried another electro ball instead while the flamethrower hit it directly at such a close range. She'd wanted to see just how powerful her new pokemon's same-type attack could be against a pokemon she already knew well in a normal battle, but this wasn't going to work.

Cassidy heard Pikachu whine and saw its cute little frown as the smoke from the attack lifted. So, just those two attacks had some effect on the electric type, while Pikachu's steel-type attack and electro ball minimally damaged Houndoom, though Cassidy knew the pokemon was powerful just from observing it the other day. "Tired already? And you showed such promise. You see, this is why pokemon need trainers."

"Pikachu," Pikachu spoke gruffly back to Cassidy, showing its teeth. It knew firsthand just how useless human trainers could be. It was easy for them to stay safely on the sidelines and strategize about what should be done, or should have been done. But much of the time, they couldn't even do that much.

All Pikachu's first trainer had done was stand behind it and shout at it to attack. Pikachu could have figured out to do that much on its own. When it knocked out a pokemon, it was praised. Failing, Pikachu was instead shouted at, as if it hadn't taken its trainer's grand advice into proper consideration.

Even trying its best, Pikachu was eventually thrown aside for other pokemon that it supposed could better follow the advice to "attack, now". Even knowing its trainer was incompetent, Pikachu couldn't forget that pain. It wanted to stay with that person, protecting the best it could, enjoy the times together, both good and bad.

But Pikachu was denied even a good-bye, being dropped somewhere without a word after it had lost a battle. No reason was given for its abandonment, Pikachu could only guess. It guessed many times as it found various other people that wanted to be its trainer. They were in for a shock, both figurative and literal. At that point, Pikachu was done with any part of the pokemon trainer-trainee nonsense. It would purposefully disobey orders, run away, steal whatever food it wanted, and then laugh at anyone that fretted over its actions.

Eventually, its naughty nature led to solitude. Professor Oak stored Pikachu in that pokeball for so long, longer than any other pokemon was asked to bear it. Being in the pokeball itself wasn't painful, but being ignored and forgotten by everyone around it the same as its trainer had was. Eventually, Pikachu was pushed off on some random new trainer when the professor was short on acceptable pokemon.

Ash was probably a better trainer than Pikachu's first, but still not a very good trainer at all, especially at first. No, Ash's skills as a trainer hadn't impressed Pikachu at all. Still, something else had. Pikachu could still recall now how Ash had put himself in personal peril to protect Pikachu after it had been disabled. After they'd first met, no less. Ash didn't see himself as better than any pokemon, and saw his pokemon as immeasurably valuable.

Pikachu also came to see Ash as incredibly valuable. Even if he hadn't improved as a trainer later, Pikachu would still want to be with its friend. That was right, their relationship wasn't about being a great trainer or a powerful pokemon - they were friends. Pikachu wanted to be with Ash not just so it could have a trainer to care for it or even so wouldn't have to live in solitude, but because Ash was its best friend. Love and not power held them together, and would continue to indefinitely.

And that was why this Team Rocket member, seeking and understanding only power, was no replacement for Ash, not in any context. Even if she could give better advice to pokemon during battles than any other trainer in the world, she'd never come close. Pikachu glared at her, getting ready to attack.

Before it could, Cassidy picked it up and hugged it. "It's alright, Pikachu," she said. "Are you still feeling bad from yesterday? We don't have to battle then."

"Pi?" Pikachu gasped, surprised at how genuine Cassidy's warm words seemed.

"Hmph." Cassidy smiled to herself as she gently cradled the electric type. "I guess I'm spoiling you. You can obviously handle this battle, even if you made a few mistakes right there. You battled well without a trainer yesterday. I shouldn't baby a pokemon like you."

Pikachu sat silently in Cassidy's arms. Despite what she said, she still hugged Pikachu, wandering around with it a while without insisting it continue battling at all.

* * *

As he finished the report, James sighed, closing the laptop shut, sitting back with Meowth before grabbing some of their leftover food from yesterday. Just when he started to relax a bit, he heard the metallic call. Sitting up, James panicked as he saw the honedge in front of him. Just as quickly, he relaxed as the sword-like pokemon spun around in the happy way the weak honedge they'd met before had. "Oh, it's you," James said.

"Find out anything interesting for us?" Meowth said. It continued to speak with their conspirator as James began to clean up the area around them.

"So then, what happened?" James asked as he finished up.

"Aegislash brought his new pal, the twerp, to some special place far away from here," Meowth explained. Then it narrowed its eyes back at Honedge. "Say pal, you've been really helpful. Is being bullied by those other honedge really so rough that you'd mess everything up by going on our side to betray them?"

Honedge shook itself side to side, then paused before speaking out again.

"I see," Meowth said. "I don't know if we'd really be the best to ask," it added sheepishly.

"What's that?" James asked.

"Honedge here is hoping we can help it out too," Meowth said.

"Right, we're too busy failing to help ourselves out," James said.

Honedge let out a high pitched cry while before lowering its metallic calls, speaking in a long utterance as Meowth listened.

"If it's such a little thing, why can't you do it yourself?" Meowth pointed out. After honedge replied, Meowth raised an eyebrow. "You can't break a seal against yourself, got it. So why's a guy like you been sealed up anyway?"

Honedge spoke again, promising to show them. There was a flash of light before the area around them changed to an illusion of a forest much like the one they were camping in. "This is all fake," Meowth explained to a bewildered, disoriented James. "It's gonna tell us more about the seal I guess."

A little boy with a crown on his head ran by, apparently not noticing them. Honedge whispered a metallic explanation to them. "It's one of Aegislash's kings from a long time ago," Meowth translated, and James nodded. The group followed the boy, watching his every move, though it seemed like a normal, boring day for the child to play.

Suddenly, the time froze, and James and Meowth both turned back to honedge. It waved itself around, and they could see various red threads connecting the boy to those in the world around him. Honedge asked Meowth if it noticed anything strange.

Both Meowth and James, though the latter couldn't understand the question, had their eyes drawn to one particular thread. It stood out, bold and darkened among the others. "That one's kind of weird," Meowth commented.

"It's a little ominous," James added.

Meowth turned and listened as Honedge explained, then looked to James as the other pokemon finished. "It says they can see future connections, but not the reason for the connection. So they wanted to watch this one closely." Meowth reached out and touched the unique red strand. "Just some ursaring? Why would that be a big deal?" it said.

"Maybe it would be a powerful pokemon to help him become the kind of king Aegislash wanted," James suggested.

"You guessed something like that too, right?" Meowth said. Honedge nodded in confirmation, then explained a bit more. Meowth nodded. "It says that they were on the look out for some kind of anomaly though. Since tying threads to the kid for people he'd meet far in the future stopped working."

"They can do that?" James asked.

"Yeah, didn't I explain that much the other day?" Meowth asked.

James shrugged. They continued to walk forward, stopping only as the future king of long ago did, going off the path just a little to climb and pick berries. "I'm a bit hungry too," James said.

"I'm pretty sure we can't eat flashback berries," Meowth said.

Honedge let out a sudden call, and James and Meowth looked toward the scene. A wild ursaring had appeared. A furious expression crossed this large pokemon's face as it noticed the little boy with an arm full of berries.

"Hey!" James called though he soon remembered this was a scene from long ago.

"It's gonna kill him!" Meowth pointed out.

As the ursaring ran to attack, the threads of destiny were visible yet again. Aegislash appeared with a group of honedge. The leader of the sword-like pokemon let out a loud metallic call, and one honedge floated ahead of the rest, bearing the same strange mark as the rocket's new honedge friend. A tile-like item appeared, and Aegislash appeared to be controlling it, aiming for the honedge with the strange mark. As the tile-like item touched him, the strange mark disappeared, and instead the honedge glowed red. In an instant, it flew forward, severing the threat that connected the ursaring and the young boy.

The boy fell to the ground, holding up his hand and observing a cut before wandering back to the path. The ursaring didn't even look his way, only went to pick up a berry or two before going off in the opposite direction.

"I get it," Meowth said as the scene faded back to their campsite. "You have no powers at all right now, but with that seal released, you can sever any kind of destiny, huh?" it concluded.

Honedge quickly explained that it could only sever one thread, though the effect would be permanent, unlike when honedge normally cut destiny bonds and they could reform over time or even instantly if the bond had been strong enough.

"We'll help you," James promised. "I'll make sure you can use your power again, just like we'll make sure Aegislash helps our boss and not that twerp."

Aegislash let out a high pitched cry of gratitude, before explaining on.

"It says if you want, once the seal's gone you can use that one shot to slice up any one thread you feel like," Meowth translated. "Oh boy... Who would you use it on?"

"Me and my fiancée," James muttered, hoping Meowth didn't hear and start to tease him about that unfortunate situation again.

"We should think about who the boss would want out of his hair the most," Meowth suggested.

"R-Right, of course," James said. Yes, that was what they should be thinking of.

Honedge floated over to James, waving itself around by letting out various calls.

Meowth looked their way. "Hey James, it say it wants you to catch it."

James looked at the pokemon. Sure it was weak, but it was going to be a valuable ally for them. After dealing with this one, honedge in general seemed less scary as well. James nodded. "Let's travel together for now then," he said.

Honedge let out a shriek of agreement. James brought out the pokeball and threw it. The honedge was drawn inside, easily captured. James picked it up, then saw someone approaching. He recalled that Cassidy wanted to catch this particular honedge, and wondered if he should keep it a secret that he had.

But it wasn't their temporary leader approaching. Jessie and Cassidy's partner were the ones walking toward them. James waved to greet Jessie, then looked warily at the guy that stood so close to her. He waved his pokeball. "Hey, Jessie. We caught that honedge. It's going to help us out!" he informed.

"Can it even help us find the other ones?" Butch asked with a smirk.

"It sure can. These pokemon can travel back and forth between their own destiny world and this one. Honedge can take us right there!" Meowth declared.

"Good, because we couldn't find anything," Jessie said, pacing around as she thought of what kind of weird place a 'destiny world' might be.

"I'll let Cassidy know what's up," Butch said, wandering away.

James looked toward him, realizing it was too late to hide what pokemon he'd caught from the other part of their 'group'. He decided to let it go, and instead walked over to Jessie, who he'd thought of multiple times that day. James smiled, putting his arm around her again. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she looked away, back toward the departing man.

James let go easily as Jessie pulled away silently, seeming not to notice him. He felt strange about the whole thing for a moment, before the thought came to mind that it wasn't so strange after all. So Jessie didn't feel like exchanging affection with him. Or maybe she was hesitant to do so in front of their rival. That wasn't really anything to think twice about.

As she stared at the ground, Jessie smiled warmly. "I'm going to camp out somewhere else tonight," she said.

"Okay. Why?" James asked, not missing Jessie's good mood.

"Maybe I'll tell you about it later. But now I want it to be private," Jessie said.

"Okay," James said in a quieter voice. He tried to push that strange feeling aside again as Jessie wandered over to where their rivals were.

* * *

Ash blinked, looking out into the void around him. He closed his eyes again before opening them slowly. Maybe he was still dreaming, Ash considered, since he felt he was floating weightless. He almost went to sleep again before seeing the shape of the large bladed pokemon in front of him.

"You!" Ash shouted, sitting up as much as he could as he floated in the inconcrete space. Anger entered him as he recalled everything that had happened so far, and he was now fully awake. "What did you do all that for?" Ash demanded.

"I apologize, my king," Aegislash said, sinking low in the void, so Ash could look down on it. "I merely wanted to show you the great impact you will have with us to help you. I had forgotten that humans always need a filter when looking at the threads of destiny, even you, my king. Please forgive me for my oversight."

Ash said nothing further upon hearing the apology, though he still frowned. "Why don't you just let me go," he said.

"Please, my king, give me a chance to show you how our partnership would be something to celebrate. If you still wish to refuse it after then, I'll let you go."

"You will?" Ash said, his expression lightening.

"Of course. I am your ally, not your captor," Aegislash said as it flew upwards toward Ash's eye level.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, okay, show me then."

Aegislash spun around, bringing to various powerful legendary pokemon that Ash had met. "Do you remember them?" it asked.

"Of course! How could I forgot any of them?" Ash asked. There was Lugia, who had needed his help to save the planet, and Celebi, to save the forest it lived, and many, many more.

"I made sure you would meet by tying your fates together," Aegislash declared.

The visions of the memories faded, and Ash looked to its self-declared ally with interest. "How?" he asked.

"Allow me to show you, with the proper filter at least," Aegislash said, leaning its body forward as if to bow. As it did, a red strand appeared, floating midair with no end. Ash leaned forward to touch it, but couldn't reach. "Ah, my king, no need! I will tie this strand to myself, since all those who exist are already connected to you." Aegislash touched the red strand, and it attached to itself. "Now I am connected to this stray honedge. I haven't met it yet, but now it will eventually find companionship among myself and my friends."

Ash remained silent as he thought about it, trying to see where the other end of the red strand was. It just stretched out into the void. "So you can make sure that people, and pokemon, that they become friends?"

"No, just that their fates are connected through the red strands of fate," Aegislash said. "I can cut them and tie them, but they have a way of disappearing and reappearing on their own. Fate isn't as set in stone as many would like to believe. Only one at my level can manipulate it directly."

As Aegislash spoke, the strand it had tied to itself broke, starting to disintegrate as it floated away. "Why?" Ash asked, looking at it with a disturbed expression.

"It just happens. My power is not absolute. But you, my king, you're special. When threads are attached to you, they tend to stay."

Ash thought about the strand, and before he realized it, was holding it in his hand. Like Aegislash had said, it was connected to a stray honedge. "Shall I filter for all of this pokemon's connections? It won't have the same impact, since this pokemon is connected to few."

Ash nodded, and in his mind's eye began to see the honedge, propped against a tree in the fading daylight. Its expression was tightened, and Ash could see only a few faded strands connected to it, almost all faded to white with little color remaining. One was a trainer that had long abandoned it, a few others were pokemon of this trainer. Honedge's fate might be connected to some, but it was all in the past. There was nothing for the future of this honedge.

Except one, bold red thread. Ash realized quickly that this was his own. He got out of the world of his mind, and found the thread in front of him, and gripped hold of it tightly. "I want to go help it," he said. "Who cares if its trainer didn't want it! Honedge's life isn't over, there's still plenty it can do."

"Let's go then, my king," Aegislash said.

Ash sighed in relief as his feet touched solid ground. At last, he was out of Aegislash's strange otherworld. As the large bladed pokemon appeared next to it, Ash didn't feel apprehensive at all. He was just set on his one task.

Though the sun had set and the land was growing darker, Ash was still able to follow the lone strand to the honedge. He could see it, completely spread out on the ground as if it were an forgotten object left to rust. "Hey," Ash called out to it, leaning down. As the honedge gave no response, he looked to Aegislash. "I should get it to a pokemon center."

"I'll show you the way," Aegislash promised.

Ash picked the honedge up carefully, the sash falling as if it were a real piece of cloth. Was this was a honedge looked like when its life was really in danger? Ash knew they would know more at the pokemon center. He ran forward, following Aegislash who flew forward in the air just as quick as Ash could follow.

Though it was getting late, Nurse Joy let him in, gasping at the sight of the honedge, which let Ash know things were as bad as he'd suspected. He stayed in the lobby of the pokemon center, pacing around. Aegislash had left, or at least left his sight, but Ash hardly noticed. When Nurse Joy came out and said they'd done all they could, and would just let this honedge rest, that was the only time Ash relaxed.

He lay back, pulling his hat over his eyes, then drifted to sleep. After a while, Ash stretched, getting up as the hustle and bustle of the trainers around him had stirred him awake. "Ash! Oh, Ash?" Nurse Joy called.

Ash stretched. He walked past several trainers to the counter. Nurse Joy gave him a big smile. "Your honedge is alright!" she said. She released the pokeball, and honedge appeared, its sash waving around like it ought to as a ghost type.

"That's great!" Ash said. He watched as the honedge floated around the center.

"Wow!" several people around him commented.

"A honedge? Where did you get it?" the trainer next to Ash asked.

"Um, well, it's not really mine," Ash admitted.

"Then whose?"

Ash paused to answer as Honedge grew nearer. He really shouldn't know about the honedge's neglectful trainer, and there was no reason to dwell on that terrible past event either. "It was just a stray," Ash said.

"I wish I could come across a stray like that," the younger trainer next to Ash said, taking more time to admired Honedge up close. "This kind of pokemon would always be great to battle with!"

Ash grinned. "Hey, Honedge, what do you say? Why don't you go with him?"

Honedge made clinky sounds of agreement, huddling close to the other trainer. "Is it really okay?" the trainer ask, looking first at Ash, and then at Nurse Joy.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Nurse Joy said. "Come with me. I'll teach you a little about the species, and then we'll make sure this pokemon is registered with you.

Ash smiled as he saw the happy trainer and still happier pokemon wander off with Nurse Joy. As he did, Aegislash appeared. Ash shuddered in surprise as Aegislash sliced through space, though no one else present other than Ash himself seemed to notice. He could see a thread connecting the 'stray' Honedge to the trainer that was going to adopt it.

As Ash observed it, the world again faded completely into Aegislash's strange void. This time, Ash felt less awkward inside it. "This isn't even an outcome I'd considered, my king. You do have a talent for influencing the fates of others. I didn't even need to tie that string myself."

Ash nodded. "I'm glad I could help."

"Can you see all the good you could do, with me at your side? All the people and pokemon you could help as king?"

Ash nodded, smiling up at his new destiny altering friend. "Can you tell me a little more? I mean, about how it would work?"

"But of course."


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

Jessie awoke as sunlight came across the canvas of the tent. She noticed the arm around her and made a guess by the person's breathing pattern. "You awake?"

"Yeah," Butch confirmed quietly. His eyes remained closed, though a smile crossed his face. He hugged Jessie closer.

"Still half asleep though? Shouldn't we get up soon?" Jessie asked.

"Maybe," Butch said, opening his eyes and observing the developing daylight. "But I just want to stay here a while longer."

"Did you want to do it again?" Jessie asked.

"Of course," Butch said, grinning further. "But-"

"But I don't feel like it," Jessie said.

"Yeah, I get it. No problems with that here."

"I didn't mean not ever. I mean, right before we're supposed to get to work." Jessie said. Butch nodded, still with that awkward smile on his face. Jessie grabbed for her clothes. She wanted to make sure she was presentable before Cassidy saw her and made some weird comment. Or James...

Jessie had a sinking feeling just as the thought of her partner came to mind. She chastised herself for the reaction. There was no need for her to feel bad at all. She was an adult, entering into an adult relationship, or maybe just fooling around. She wasn't sure yet, but either way it was none of James's business. He wasn't her lover or anything.

"Something wrong?" Butch asked.

"Nothing at all," Jessie said, bringing her mind back to the present. "I guess you're expecting I'll sleep with you again tonight," she teased. Certainly, he wanted to, and so did she.

"Maybe," Butch said.

"Well what if I didn't want to? Or what if I wanted stay with you, but not have sex?"

"That's good with me," Butch said, not a hint of dishonesty in his voice. "You'll still stay with me, right?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her.

"Yeah, alright. How about I stay with you forever, but I don't feel like doing it with you again ever?" Jessie asked.

Butch's face lightened. "Stay with me forever?" he repeated, a hopeful look on his face.

"Yeah, without anything like we did last night. Could you handle it?"

"I'd love it." Jessie blushed as she heard the declaration from her new lover. Butch kissed her again, then whispered to her. "I'd really like that. As long as I'm with you, it would be good."

Jessie took a moment to savor those words, enjoying the declaration. Then she frowned, thinking of James again. She hadn't been willing to say the same to him, even though this pervert did for her. Then again, Butch could probably tell easily that wasn't what she wanted. Jessie again decided to stop thinking about James, and leaned over to kiss Butch again.

"Hey," Cassidy said, unzipping the flap to open their tent. She averted her eyes and maintained a humorless expression as she saw the two of them inside. "It's time for you to get up."

Jessie's face turned completely red. She scowled as Cassidy walked away. "Who does she think she is? Hasn't she ever heard of privacy?" Jessie fumed.

Butch also appeared embarrassed, but just grabbed for some clothes, getting ready to leave. "We can continue this later," he said. "I don't think we'll be interrupted if we're not supposed to be on the job." Jessie nodded. Pushing aside her embarrassment, she also started to get ready.

Meeting everyone outside, both James and Meowth were staring Jessie's way, maybe wanting some kind of explanation of where she'd been. She walked over to them and remained silent as Cassidy joined the group, Pikachu at her feet. "Have you got it trained already?" Jessie asked in amazement.

"Well, I'm not sure if it wants to fight, but Pikachu will be joining us today," Cassidy said.

"In other words, no," Meowth said. Pikachu turned its head to all of them, not giving them the satisfaction of a response.

"Right," Cassidy said dryly. "In any case, we have to think of a plan for catching this pokemon. "So you had one... Meowth?"

Meowth nodded. "Hey James, let's bring out our newest pal," it said.

James nodded. He threw out Honedge's pokeball, and it appeared, speaking quickly to Meowth right away.

"Yeah, I know. We'll get to that," Meowth said. "First of all, this guy can bring us to Aegislash's secret world, no problem. It's in Aegislash's honedge inner circle, even if it's on our side now. Second of all, Aegislash isn't invincible. We'll just go to where it meets with its king alone and go at it with all we've got. Then we should be able to knock it out and catch it. After that, all the honedge can follow, since we've got their boss. Make sense?"

Everyone looked to Cassidy, who eventually nodded. "There are some risks we're taking here, but I guess it's worth a try, considering the reward," she said.

"Exactly," Meowth said.

"Pikapi, pikachu?" Pikachu asked Honedge. Honedge clicked an affirmation.

"Yeah, it is the twerp that will be there. But you'll still belong to Team Rocket even if he gets away, you know!" Meowth said.

"Pika," Pikachu said, tensing up. It got in a battle position, facing Meowth.

"Please don't talk to my pokemon," Cassidy said, then picked Pikachu up. "It's alright. Don't worry about what that one says. Just remember that we're going after the pokemon that took your previous master away."

Pikachu relaxed in Cassidy's arms, though it still glared down at Meowth.

Cassidy waved a hand. "Get everything cleaned up, and make sure all your pokemon are ready to battle. Let's meet back here in an hour."

Everyone agreed. As they began to disperse, James grabbed Jessie's hands in his glee. "I really think we can win this one!" he said.

"Right," Jessie said. She relaxed her hands and looked back toward Butch.

"You don't?" James asked as he saw her distracted, seemingly dull expression.

Jessie looked back toward James. "I know we'll win," she said.

James grinned. As he and Jessie walked along, he ran his hand on her shoulder. "Are you feeling alright?" he said.

"I'm just fine," Jessie snapped, again pulling away from James. She looked back toward where her new lover had gone. Not that she was doing anything 'wrong' with James. Right now she just didn't want there to be any misunderstandings.

As Jessie pulled away, James stopped walking. He watched as Jessie moved farther away and frowned. This really wasn't all that strange, not for her, but he still had that sinking feeling. Pushing it aside as he thought of what he needed to do to make sure his pokemon were ready for the upcoming battle, James moved on.

* * *

After they met up again, all supplies packed and properly hidden away, Cassidy decided to let them all know her revised plan. "It seems you're all ready," she began. "But I've decided to just have Butch and I go with that honedge to scope things out first."

Meowth, Jessie, and James all eyes Cassidy with suspicion, but it was Meowth who spoke out first. "I don't think so. James is Honedge's trainer," it said.

"Right," James said, then took out the pokeball. "It shouldn't go anywhere without me."

Cassidy shook her head, rubbing it with her hand. There was no reason for them to act like she was going to screw them over. She'd thought of just asking James for the very reason they mentioned, but other current events had taken precedence. "Fine," Cassidy agreed, then looked seriously over to Jessie and Butch. "You two just better be waiting and ready to back us up if we need it. We're not here for fun. Do you get it?"

"R-Right, don't worry about it," Butch said.

James and Meowth both glanced back and forth from Cassidy to Butch and Jessie with confused expressions. "You have a minute?" Jessie said in a low voice to Cassidy.

"Fine, but just a minute," Cassidy agreed. She nodded to Pikachu, who followed her and Jessie to a more secluded space. "What is it?" Cassidy asked, trying not to seem too bored with what the topic probably was.

"You're jealous, right? Do you think you can get over it for the mission?"

Cassidy stifled a laugh. "You think I'm jealous? I don't really care what's going on between the two of you. I'm just not sure you can 'get over it' for a mission yourself," she said.

"Don't think I can't think of the job when we're working!" Jessie said.

"Good. Then this conversation is over with, hm?" Cassidy said. She was about to motion to Pikachu to follow her but then paused. "Well, I was going to stay out of it, but there's just one thing, since you brought it up I mean."

"What's that?" Jessie asked.

"You know, just because I don't want him the way you do - or at least the way he wants you - That doesn't mean I don't care about him. I don't want him to get all broken hearted. He's more sensitive than you might think, so don't play with him."

"Wh-what makes you think I'm doing that," Jessie thought, guiltily thinking back on her semi-relationship with James. Could liking James in a way then getting with someone else be seen as 'playing'?

"I don't know," Cassidy said with a shrug. "I suppose I just have a hard time seeing you as being serious about anything."

Before Jessie could respond, Cassidy turned away, heading toward James with Pikachu following at her feet. Jessie fumed. Cassidy always knew how to get right under her skin. She was serious about plenty. But what would 'serious' mean in this context? Jessie blushed as she thought about it, wandering back to the group herself.

"Are you ready then?" Cassidy asked James.

"Yes," James said. He threw his pokeball out and released Honedge.

Meowth jumped on James's shoulder. "I'm ready too!" it declared.

"Fine," Cassidy agreed. Arguing that the useless pokemon should stay behind was a waste of her energy. "Let's get ready to enter this 'world' of the target," she said.

James nodded to Honedge, who cut through the space of the mundane and into the void that the rockets had dubbed 'destiny world'. Honedge floated in, waving around its body as if to welcome them. Cassidy, Meowth, and James all paused, staring into it. Cassidy eventually took the first step in, her arms folded, one hand holding tight to Houndoom's pokeball. James and Meowth followed soon after her.

Once inside, Cassidy took a look around, and then momentarily closed her eyes to avoid being disoriented. "This isn't what I thought it would be," she said.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, looking around from place to place.

"This is kind of how our new buddy described it, but I can't make heads or tails of this place," Meowth said.

"There's no place to hide," Cassidy pointed out as she opened her eyes again. "We're even more vulnerable than we were before."

Honedge spun its bladed body around like the hand of a clock, then pointed to a specific direction.

"You want us to go that way?" James asked.

"Yeah, it says that Aegislash should be with its king the twerp there," Meowth translated.

"Let's get going then," Cassidy said.

James grabbed hold of the Honedge's hilt. Meowth gripped onto his back. James reached his hand over. First making sure she was holding Pikachu tight enough in her arms, Cassidy grabbed it. They then took off at top speed toward their destination.

* * *

"Are you ready for your coronation, my king?" Aegislash asked.

"I guess," Ash said. He walked forward on the stone path, every step on the marble seeming to echo even though the ceiling was only open to the void around them. Ash slipped on the black velvet mantle that his new pokemon friend had prepared, then looked toward the crown in front of him. "Do I really need all this?"

"Not at all. Your greatness isn't defined by these trinkets. However, these are items that have identified kings of the past. I wish to impart them to you to make sure all know of your title."

Ash looked up at Aegislash with a grin. "It does look pretty cool," he said.

"Indeed," Aegislash agreed. It then floated up, higher than it would have been if there happened to be a real ceiling in their floating castle.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked, running as close as he could get to the pokemon while on the ground.

"Intruders," Aegislash said. As it spoke, the doors to the throne room swung open, revealing the Team Rocket members and their pokemon behind them. James moved away from the revealed area while Meowth and Honedge sunk to the ground.

Pikachu, however, perked up its ears as it saw the sight. Ash looked different in his change of clothing, without his trademark hat even, but Pikachu could recognize its best friend easily. "Pika! Pikapi!" it exclaimed.

"Pikachu-" Cassidy began.

Pikachu completely ignored its selfish temporary 'master', running forward to its true friend. "Pikapi!" it repeated, calling Ash. Before Pikachu could finally reach him, Aegislash slammed down to the floor, the large bladed pokemon blocking the way. "Pika!" Pikachu shouted at the other pokemon to move. Its fur rose up as it got ready to attack.

"Hey, Aegislash, what's the problem?" Ash asked.

"My king, we discussed this before! This isn't the place for mundane pokemon such as this one," Aegislash said as it spun around toward Ash.

"I know," Ash said seriously. "That doesn't mean I'm going to leave it with Team Rocket."

Cassidy had Houndoom's pokeball ready in hand, and considered using it, but then decided to at least try to use the pokemon she already had out on the field. "Pikachu! Try your electro ball attack!" she ordered. As Pikachu did nothing, though still in that ready to attack state, Cassidy decided to remind it of its motivation. "Don't you want to defeat the pokemon kidnapped your master?" she said.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted. "Chuuu!" it shouted as it fired the suggested attack toward Aegislash. After being hit, Aegislash powered up a shadow ball attack. It fired it toward the small electric type, who shouted out in pain as it fell on the floor.

"Pikachu! You're not finished yet, are you?" Cassidy asked.

"Chuuu..." Pikachu said as it stood up, again powering up another electric attack

"Pikachu! Aegislash! Stop!" Ash ran toward the battle. He stepped between the two pokemon, holding a hand in front of each to single to stop. "You don't need to fight."

"Pikapi?" Pikachu said in confusion.

"Step aside, kid. Your pokemon is here to rescue you," Cassidy said.

"You don't need to, Pikachu," Ash said with a smile on his face. "Aegislash didn't kidnap me at all!"

"Pi?" Pikachu sat back, no longer on guard, and looked up at Ash questioningly.

"It sure looked like that's what happened when we were there," Meowth commented. It tucked its head back down as Aegislash appeared to leer toward it.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed with Meowth despite itself.

Ash shook his head. "I didn't know that Aegislash just wanted to show me something. I could have left if I wanted to, but now I want to stay."

"And as I explained before, my king, your new role won't allow for your former pokemon, those without our abilities."

"I know that," Ash said.

"There's no place for it here," Aegislash said.

"Pikachu, pikapi," Pikachu insisted that there certainly was always a place for it with Ash. After all, with Ash was the only place it had ever truly felt it belonged.

"I know that!" Ash said. "Pikachu doesn't have to be with them though. It can live back at Professor Oak's."

Pikachu's eyes widened as Ash spoke. After the moment it took for Ash's words to truly register, Pikachu replied adamantly. "Pika!" it shouted bitterly. It never wanted to go back to that place, not to live. Visiting with Ash was bearable, but it wouldn't ever want to be back there, trying to be nice to all the other pokemon that wouldn't want it around again, just trying to tolerate each day rather than get any real enjoyment out of life. Sure Ash's other pokemon seemed okay, but Pikachu didn't want to try and manage there. It had been miserable there before, but finally found true happiness with Ash. Pikachu wanted to be with its best friend, forever.

"If you don't want Pikachu, just let us have it," Meowth said. It stepped out a little more confidently now, noting that Aegislash wanted the electric pokemon gone. "We'll gladly take it off your hands!"

"There's no way I'd leave Pikachu with you," Ash said.

"But you're not even gonna use it!" Meowth pointed out. "Or are you?"

Ash smiled down at Pikachu, who was listening carefully for its friend's response. "I know we've had a lot of fun together," he said. "But you know, every time one of my pokemon wants to move on... When they've found something better for them, I'd never hold them back. I always let them go, even if it hurts."

"Pikapi, pikachu," Pikachu said, eager to clear up any misunderstanding "Piika pika. Pipikachu!" Pikachu paused, becoming frustrated. Ash always seemed to have at least a basic understanding of what it was saying, but now it was so important for him to understand fully. "Pika!" Pikachu shouted back at Meowth, ordering it to translate.

Meowth paused a moment, but then sighed. "Don't you know what your buddy is saying already?" it said. "We want Pikachu with us, but it doesn't want to go anywhere too far from you."

Pikachu looked at Ash expectantly. The translation was colored with Team Rocket's desires, but Ash knew that well enough himself. He could see past that and understand Pikachu's true feelings. "Yeah, I know that," Ash said, confirming Pikachu's thoughts. "Pikachu's not the one that wants to move on. I am."

Pikachu was silent, again feeling it had heard something that Ash would have never even thought of, let alone said aloud.

Ash reached out to his first pokemon, still with the kind expression on his face. "Come on. You can't stay here. If a pokemon's not a ghost type and stays here for too long, it'll make it hard for Aegislash and the others to use their abilities. But don't worry, I'll find a place for you before you can go back to Professor Oak's," he spoke the kind of cruel words that Pikachu never would have expected from its best friend.

As Ash moved forward to pick his small pokemon up, Pikachu ran back. "Pika!" it said roughly, moving its arm forward as if it would scratch Ash if he came too close.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash asked. His expression was concerned, maybe even a bit confused.

Pikachu shook its head, giving a small growl of discontent. Ash had never been the smartest trainer it had ever had, but he should know exactly what was wrong. "Pika CHU!" Pikachu shouted, shooting its thunderbolt attack toward Ash in frustration.

The attack land right in front of Ash, but Aegislash still moved forward, using a cut attack on Pikachu. Pikachu felt the other pokemon's bladed assault, but the pain was miniscule compared the pain brought from what Ash was saying. "Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted at Ash.

"Pikachu, why are you acting like this?" Ash asked.

Pikachu paused, softening its expression. It was angry - infuriated actually. But Ash was its friend, so acting aggressive and nasty wasn't something it should do. Pikachu just wanted to be happy about their reunion, anyway. "Pikapi, pikachu," Pikachu begged in a quiet voice.

"It's alright," Ash said, again reaching out to its friend. "Come on."

Cassidy got out both Pikachu's pokeball and a pokeball for one of her other pokemon as Pikachu began to step toward Ash slowly. Ash smiled at Pikachu again as he picked it up. "I'm going to be able to do so much here. I'll tell you all about it before you go back to Professor Oak's."

Hearing that, Pikachu couldn't hop out of Ash's arms fast enough. Ash looked at Pikachu, bewildered, then looked all around the area, seeing nothing new on the ground and still only the empty void above. From Ash's point of view, something had spooked the small electric type. Despite trying, he couldn't figure out what.

Before he could mull on it too much, Cassidy returned the pokemon from battle. She sighed, putting away Pikachu's pokeball for the moment. "Go, Houndoom!" she said. "Flamethrower!" she ordered as the pokemon came into view. "Where's James?" Cassidy asked as the pokemon battled, glaring over at Meowth.

"I don't know what my humans are doing all the time," Meowth muttered before looking around and failing to see James itself.

Aegislash returned a shadow ball attack to Houndoom, who howled in pain despite the type resistance. "Again!" Cassidy shouted at her pokemon before turning to the other two. "We need to get out of here, now. I'd send that one to get us backup," she motioned toward Honedge. "But I'm not sure I can handle Aegislash on my own until they get here."

"So you'd just leave James here?" Meowth said.

Cassidy rolled her eyes. That made her sound heartless, but in actuality, James was the one to put her in this situation by running off. "Yeah," she said. "Get ready to help us escape," she ordered Honedge.

Honedge cut through the barrier separating Aegislash's world from the mundane. Cassidy was the first to go through the portal, motioning her pokemon to next. "Wait!" Ash called as he noticed her escape, but it was too late.

"James!" Meowth called. Honedge echoed in its own clinky cry. Just as Meowth was about to escape, James ran toward them from the hall.

"I'm here," he said.

"Just in time to leave," Meowth informed. With that, the remaining rockets went through the portal.

* * *

His mind was on the job, Butch tried to convince himself. At least, he thought about it once in a while, what might be taking Cassidy and that other guy so long. Once he even thought of what he might have to do if they finally did call for backup. But overall, his thoughts were on Jessie. Well, if she'd expected something else, maybe Cassidy shouldn't have just left him alone with Jessie like this with nothing to do for hours.

He resisted any temptation to touch her, knowing they shouldn't be too 'occupied' when they finally heard news of the others. Still, being able to just waste time with her and talk about anything was nice. Eventually, their conversation turned more serious though. "Hey, what are you hoping to get out of this, anyway?" Jessie asked.

Butch paused before responding. "Well, whatever you want out of it," he said, figuring that was the safe answer.

"Come on. Are you really just letting me tell you what you want?" Jessie asked, annoyed.

"Well, I don't know. I don't want to move too fast, you know."

"So you're not serious about me at all?" Jessie asked casually, trying to give the impression that she'd be perfectly okay with that.

"That's not it," Butch insisted.

"Then tell me what do you - well, what would you want? With everything given all good time to develop."

Butch quietly considered his answer before he decided to be completely honest. "Everything," he said. "I'd be happy to get married and quit Team Rocket to do it if I could. I'd want a happy family and want to stay with them forever."

He finished with that, and Jessie had nothing left to say to him. She'd thought about those things before as well, but never really decided if they were what she wanted or not. Thinking about them right now, she decided the option was appealing. Having a more peaceful life with a guy that actually liked her, getting married and having a real 'home', that might be nice.

Eventually, their teammates returned. None of them looked especially happy, so Jessie and Butch could tell things hadn't gone all that great. "Did you find it?" Butch asked as they came closer to the meeting place.

"Yeah," Cassidy said. "I'll need all of you to defeat it. Including you, James. I hope you don't run away. It's thanks to you that this whole day was a waste, I hope you know. Don't mess up again."

James nodded, and Cassidy scowled at how nonchalant he seemed about the whole thing. "Let's go," she said to Butch, motioning to him as they went their separate ways.

"What happened there anyway?" Meowth asked as Cassidy was out of earshot.

James turned to Jessie, grabbing her hand. "It's not as bad as she said it was," he informed with a grin.

"Oh?" Jessie said, pulling her hand away from James's just as soon as he had taken it.

"Yeah," James said, frowning as he noticed that Jessie's actions were certainly purposeful, as she looked back at Cassidy and Butch. Had what he done really been so unprofessional? He put his thought on that topic aside, and pulled out what he'd acquired from Aegislash's castle. The tile-like item almost seemed to sparkle.

Honedge flew forward toward it, excitedly chattering to James in a series of loud clinks. "Hey! Not so fast!" Meowth said, moving himself between James and the other pokemon. "Nice job, Jimmy. Now we have our Aegislash's trump card for ourselves. There's no need to use it right away though."

"Right," James said. He gave Honedge a reassuring smile just the same. "Don't worry, I'll get you back your spectral power soon."

"I'm not sure I'd want it around then," Jessie recalled, shivering as she recalled how other Honedge had controlled her with those very powers.

"It would still be on our side, you know," Meowth said. It looked over at Honedge, as if trying to get the other pokemon to affirm that. "Come on, you guys. Let's get all set for tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

Cassidy typed furiously as Butch made them a meal in their campsite. "So, just how useless was he?" Butch eventually asked.

"He _is_ the only one with the pokemon we need to get there - but other than that, he wasn't really any help," Cassidy said. She finished making notes on the day's events, then snapped the device shut. "It really should have been you with me. But I'm sure you were happy with how things turned out, weren't you?"

"I was," Butch admitted.

"Hm," Cassidy said, smirking with some amusement. "Don't get used to it. Tomorrow I'm going at this thing with full force, or at least as much as we have. Get all your pokemon ready."

As Cassidy gave the order, she decided it was the right time to care for her own pokemon. After getting the necessary medicines, Cassidy first healed her Houndoom from the day's battle, then returned it and took out Pikachu's pokeball. She threw it out, then observed the tiny pokemon as it appeared. It didn't look too hurt at all, then again, Cassidy hadn't let it finish a full battle.

Its mood was another matter, though. Pikachu frowned, narrowing its eyes at Cassidy. "Let's take care of any injuries," she said, taking out a potion.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted. It powered up an electric attack, but instead decided on iron tail as Cassidy came close. Seeing Pikachu jump up, Cassidy raised her arm to protect herself, and was struck. As she fell from the impact, Pikachu powered up an electric attack now, and fired it purposefully toward its 'master' in rebellion.

Instead, Butch's primeape took the attack. "That's enough of this shit," Butch said. "Primeape, focus punch!"

"Primeape!" Primeape acknowledged the order, and swung wildly toward Pikachu.

Pikachu shouted as it was hit by the powerful fighting type attack. "Pika pika," it said roughly as it got up. This pokemon was going to feel the full force of Pikachu's fury, as was any other pokemon either of these two would send out to battle. Pikachu would knock them all out, without even trying to get away.

"Stop it now!" Cassidy shouted in her own fury as she stood up. Pikachu considered what might be the best way to show its refusal of this woman's orders as it glared toward her.

Cassidy didn't glare back, only looked toward her human partner, apparently having been shouting at him instead of Pikachu. "Pi?" Pikachu said.

"I'm not going to sit around and let this stupid pokemon attack you," Butch said.

"It's none of your business," Cassidy said, still clutching the arm where Pikachu's attack had hit. "Pikachu is my pokemon, and _you_ can't just attack it like this. I'll take care of doing anything I need to train it all by myself, you just go."

"But-"

"Get away!" Cassidy ordered.

Quietly, Butch took a step to the side, though he still kept an eye on the scene as he continued his other tasks, taking out the ingredients for dinner.

Cassidy walked over to Pikachu, putting her hand down and trying to pretend her arm didn't sting. "He doesn't know what happened today. But I do. Let's go somewhere else, I'll get you healed."

Pikachu decided to let Cassidy pick it up. She took it to her tent, and then sprayed it with the potion she'd intended to in the first place. Pikachu let her without comment, deciding not to attack. It realized now that as much as it wanted her to be, she wasn't responsible at all for why it was in pain.

Cassidy smiled as she finished. "You know what Pikachu? It isn't enough to want to be valued by others. We have to make others value us."

"Pika," Pikachu said quietly, turning away.

Cassidy sighed, her smile distorting before it fell. "But sometimes, well," she continued. "No matter how much we do, selfish people can refuse to value us as much as we deserve, or even at all. We can try and try all day and night, then give and give all we have while loving them with all our heart, but they still think we're something that can be thrown away. Even after they've taken all we have to offer."

Pikachu took in the words. Just hearing something it could relate to its plight, its pain lessened slightly.

Cassidy patted the miserable pokemon's head. "Times like those, we can't control what those kind of people do. There's only one thing we can do, really."

Pikachu looked up curiously. "Pika?" it asked.

"Make them regret it."

* * *

James casually turned over the item he'd acquired, taking a closer look at it. He noticed Honedge had stopped eating, and now observed James himself. "Will you still want to stay after you're unsealed?" James asked.

Honedge paused to respond. Meowth warily glanced its way again. "Don't plan on running out on us," it said.

"It won't right now," James said. "But we are just doing each other a favor, right? So when it's done, you'll want to go?"

Honedge shook itself from side to side as it spoke.

Meowth smirked. "Yeah, of course it'll have nowhere to go after it's pissed off all its buddies."

"You can stay with us then. That is, if you want," James said reassuringly.

Honedge flew up happily, then back down, eating the rest of its berries. James put the seal-breaking item back in his pocket, then wandered away and found Jessie. "Jessie," he said once he'd found her going through their supplies.

"Hey James, I think we're all ready," Jessie said.

"Right," James said. There was nothing else to prepare, so they could relax a little. James ran his hand down Jessie's own. He moved closer to her, ready to kiss her.

But Jessie pulled away as if he'd done nothing. "I'm... Well, I'm going to leave everything here then. I'll see you in the morning."

James nodded, not missing the rejection. As Jessie stood up, he decided not to let it go without comment this time. "Jessie," he began.

"Yes James?"

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked, trying not to seem too hurt as he spoke. He'd failed though, and winced, trying to prevent himself from overreacting.

"Like what?" Jessie asked, folding her arms.

"Like you don't even want me to touch you... Even now that we're alone."

Jessie glanced away guiltily before meeting eyes with James. "Sorry James. It's not that I wanted to hurt you or anything, I just don't want to hurt Butch either. He could misunderstand."

"Wh- You mean... That guy? Cassidy's partner?" James said.

"Yeah. I don't want him to get the wrong idea by what goes on between us and then get hurt. You understand, right?"

James shook his head in disbelief. "I don't care about him at all!" he declared. Then his eyes widened slightly as he met eyes with Jessie, realizing why she might be saying such confusing, seemingly irrelevant things. "Do you?"

Again, Jessie had paused, seeing James's expectant look. It was almost like hearing an affirmation might really hurt him. But she wasn't going to hide or try and misrepresent anything herself. "I do," she admitted.

James felt almost like he was slapped with that revelation. But maybe there was no reason for him to feel that way at all. "Not that much though, right?" he said.

"I don't know," Jessie said, putting a hand to her face. James was momentarily relieved, before she spoke again. "It might be a lot. He even said he'd marry me if I wanted to, you know. I don't know if I'd want to yet."

Another blow. Before he even realized it, James realized he'd let his emotions of devastation show on his face. Jessie appeared annoyed. "You-" James began.

"Why are _you_ acting like this?" Jessie demanded. "You don't want me, so why would you care if some other guy does! We're still friends though, right? So why can't you just be happy that I might have found love at last?"

"Don't ask me that," James said, looking away as he tried to hide his reaction. Maybe he could have feigned happiness for her if he'd had some time to take it in, but it was too much to be bombarded with all at once. Besides, he did want to have her in his life.

"It doesn't affect you at all," Jessie continued. "You don't want to be with me, and he does. What's between us won't change. It'll be just the same as before."

"It already has changed," James declared, thinking of how Jessie had started to reject him, and how that all made sense now. "How could things not change? If you went and married him. And then you had kids with him afterward. You'd be gone, and wouldn't think of anything that happened before then at all." James glanced toward Jessie, who appeared somewhat concerned. "I still- I really do-" he began, but couldn't finish saying how he loved her. It would be seen as manipulative now that Jessie had a place she'd rather be, instead of a declaration to be celebrated and embraced. James turned away. "Just go and be with him... If that's what you want," he said now that his back was to her.

James heard her leaving. Once he turned around and saw she was completely gone, he couldn't control his emotions further, and tears started running down his face. James fell to the ground and sobbed. As he did, Honedge eventually came into view. As it did, James wiped his eyes. "I guess you saw what happened," he said. This pokemon had been tailing him pretty close since he'd found the item to break its seal.

Honedge bobbed up and down in affirmation. It waved its sash over James's shoulder in consolation.

"I must seem pathetic. I should be able to be happy for her," he declared, even as his heart ached just thinking about the idea.

Honedge now shook itself from side to side, rejecting what James had said. It began to trace some crude stick figure drawing in the dirt. James looked at them closer, seeing it somewhat resembled Jessie and Butch. Honedge then traced itself, along with a square shaped object. Afterward, Honedge ran its blade down the drawing of itself, erasing the representation of its seal. Then it suddenly cut a long line in the dirt between the sketches of Jessie and Butch. As it finished, its metallic cries almost seemed like laughing to James.

James nodded. He took the tile out of his pocket, again casually observing it. Once he used this to break Honedge's seal, it would have the power to manipulate both people and fate to some extent. With its first rush of power, it gained the rare power to permanently cut any thread of fate. It could even eliminate the one between Jessie and James's now love rival, guaranteeing that Jessie wouldn't be with that guy, ever. James felt a rush of hope, immediately followed by a surge of sadness that he even had the urge to consider something like this.

James put away the item, not wanting to think about it for now. "Thanks, Honedge," he said. Even as he tried to forget the option, it continued to swirl in his mind as he thought of the two of them together. He could take away the anguish he was feeling at the moment, and make sure Jessie didn't abandon him for some guy she barely knew. James couldn't remove the option from his mind, keeping him awake that night as he continued to consider just how much he wanted to erase the current reality.

* * *

Jessie was surprised they had woken up before Cassidy even. She straightened her uniform as they exited the tent, sighing. After they'd packed up and otherwise prepared for the day, they had some time to kill, with her lagging behind them. Jessie tried to think of the job, but still found herself dreaming about other things. In-between the other nonsense they talked about, she decided to bring up something more serious.

"So you'd marry me, huh?"

Butch looked a little taken back by the question, but still didn't back away from his previous declaration. "Yeah. I mean, if you wanted."

"Of course," Jessie said. "Were your parents married?"

He seemed even more uncomfortable with that question, looking away. "That really doesn't matter."

"You'd marry me, but won't even tell me that much? It's not like I'm judging, either way."

Butch nodded. He wiped a hand across his face and swallowed. "They weren't," he said.

"Hmph. Neither were mine. Were they also a part of Team Rocket?"

"I told you, they don't matter," Butch said, becoming involved in adjusting the straps of the bag.

"Your parents don't matter?" Jessie repeated, frowning. "You don't sound very family-oriented, for someone that wants to get married."

"I wouldn't do anything like them. I'd be the opposite."

"No kids, you mean?" Jessie said. She hadn't really thought much about if she wanted them. They could be a lot of trouble, so maybe it wasn't a big deal if he didn't want any.

"Maybe I'd want some," Butch said. "I don't know. But if I had any, I wouldn't leave them."

"Oh," Jessie said, suddenly realizing why this might be a touchy topic. "They left you?" she asked the obvious.

Butch nodded. "My dad, from day one more or less. My mom when I wasn't too much older. I haven't seen them since I was eight or something. Maybe they're still out there, I don't really care."

"It can be tough," Jessie sympathized. "My parents weren't around either."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They were both Team Rocket members. I don't know what happened to my dad, but my mom went missing. She died, probably."

Butch nodded. "So you grew up the same as me. Abandoned."

Jessie felt a rush of anger at Butch's quick judgment at a woman that had loved and raised her. "No! I don't know what happened to you, there's no way my mom abandoned me! My dad didn't either. They both just had their own stuff to do, and couldn't be around me as much they wanted. That's all! Even adults make mistakes."

"Hmph." Butch smirked, which made Jessie angrier. "I wish I could live in your world," he said.

"You don't think it's true? You realize my mother's probably dead and can't defend herself! She only wanted what was best for me."

"No," Butch said. "I'm sure you're right. I just wish I could be right along with you. I want to live in a world where abandoning someone can be just a mistake." Butch put his arm around Jessie, quieting her discontent. "If you ever thought I abandoned you, that would be a mistake," he assured in a whisper.

Jessie blushed, and returned his embrace. She dropped the subject, which now that she thought about it, wasn't something she much liked to think about either. Even the idea of being left behind by someone she loved was something that had ate away at her.

Yes, she'd considered for years that had maybe her mother really had just gotten tired of having a daughter around as burden, constantly fighting that idea. It was a real effort not to believe it when she was young. Even though now she found out without a doubt that it wasn't true, the memory was quite unpleasant. She'd had a similar feeling when she'd thought James would leave her for his rich family.

He hadn't though. "Are you sure you're alright with leaving your fiancée behind? Aren't you worried you'll get too old for marriage if you wait?" she'd asked him about it one day.

"No," James had assured. "I want to be here, with you."

Jessie opened her eyes, snapping out of her relaxed state as she thought of James. The vision of him last night, back to her, trying and mostly failing to hide his upset came to mind. Was she abandoning him? Well, he didn't have any sort of right to have her around, anyway. And if he wanted her, he'd had plenty of chances to make that clear.

"Good to see you aren't lagging with our mission," Cassidy said, looking up from her device as she walked up to them, Pikachu at her feet. "I made sure James was ready too, so let's get on our way soon."

"I'll get ready," Butch assured, going for the supplies.

"Good. Jessie, you go get my things, won't you?" Cassidy asked.

Jessie scowled, but decided not to make too big a deal of Cassidy's haughtiness. She went over to grab the bags, following the request.

As she left, James approached. He glared at Butch, and tried not to let his disdain show. "Hey, James. Are you gonna be slightly less useless today?" Butch joked as he lifted up the bag of equipment.

And with that, James became even more angry with the guy. He wasn't the one James was really angry with... More the reality that Jessie that had decided on him. Even so, James couldn't stand to look at his rival, let alone talk to him.

Luckily, before James could sputter too much, Meowth spoke. "James isn't as useless as you're saying. He's the one that got us the pokemon we needed, and also..." Meowth paused before telling their rival too much. "Well, both my humans are pretty useful."

"You're calling us that now?" James muttered.

"Why not?" Meowth said.

"I wonder if Jessie will stick with you guys for long after this mess is done with," Butch said aloud.

"Of course she will!" Meowth declared. "I don't know about you and your partner, but Jessie is loyal to us."

"Maybe she wants out of Team Rocket and to have an actual life," Butch said.

"What's with this guy, always being down on our work," Meowth said to its partner. James looked away, still not wanting to participate in the conversation. "Team Rocket's the best! We're gonna rule the world and get rich," Meowth declared.

"Hasn't gotten me rich yet. I don't really care about that any more though. Not if something I really want is right in front of me. I wonder if Jessie feels the same," Butch mused.

"Why are you obsessing over her anyway?" Meowth asked poignantly.

"Hmph." Butch decided not to comment. He threw the strap of the bag over his shoulder and turned away.

"They like each other," James said. He noted how juvenile his language to describe the situation seemed, and shut his mouth again.

"Just because he's obsessed with her-" Meowth began.

"She wants him too. She told me yesterday," James said.

"No way! Wasn't she starting to get sweet on you? Talk her out of that nonsense, James!"

"I- She-" James sputtered while trying to respond to Meowth. He couldn't even think of what he might say. He hadn't know that Meowth had even noticed anything going on between them, and didn't really want to talk about that in front of his rival.

Hearing what Meowth and James were saying, Butch had turned back, still with that irritating smirk on his face. "I wanted to let her be the one to say it, but I guess she already told James that I'm the one she's 'sweet on'."

"Not true! I've seen her and James making goo-goo eyes at each other, and more. They'll get together any minute now, so don't think you'll take one of my humans away," Meowth insisted. "Right James?"

"Stop it, Meowth," James said. His face was turning red in humiliation. He wanted nothing more than to stop having this conversation, now.

"Jessie likes James way too much to go with you," Meowth declared despite James's nonresponse.

"I doubt she cares that much about him," Butch said.

"Jessie loves me," James declared. The second after he'd done so, he wished he hadn't. Both Meowth and Butch looked his way, studying his response.

Butch let his bag fall to the ground, still keeping his steady expression. "So you're saying she's playing us?"

"Um... I don't know," James said.

"Come on! Are you fucking her?"

"No," James admitted right away. "We don't do those kind of things."

Butch shrugged now. "I didn't think so. I've got nothing to worry about," he said, though he looked a little relieved after James had spoken.

James's face turned red, realizing that Jessie probably had sex with this guy already. That was something he'd been unable to offer her, and something he'd known she really wanted. But still- "That doesn't mean anything," James insisted, unable to give up the little bit of hope he'd been holding on to. "She could still want to be with me."

"No one's going to want to give up their life for an idiot like you," Butch said.

James hid his anguish well with anger, and refused to say anything further. Still, his mind was racing, thinking about what his love rival had said. Giving up her life? Would that be what being with him was like? And maybe Jessie had really chosen already. From everything that had happened so far, it did seem obvious who she wanted to be with now. As much as James wanted to deny it, he had no room at all to do so. Even as Jessie approached the group again, James only looked away.

Cassidy nodded in thanks as she grabbed her bag from Jessie. Her teammates didn't appear ready to work together, but she could deal with that along the way. Now she had to make sure another member of her team was ready with its motivation. "Pikachu?" she asked, leaning down to address the small pokemon.

Pikachu looked up at Cassidy with slight interest. Fitting in so well with this group was a little strange. Still, it paid attention to what its now-trainer might say.

Cassidy pulled out a pokeball, adorned with Team Rocket's logo. "Aegislash is powerful, but I'm sure I can still catch it with one of these. After it's weakened. You'll help with that, right?"

"Pi," Pikachu said nonchalantly, staring past Cassidy.

Cassidy gripped the pokeball, and then put it away. "I'm trying to capture this thing for my boss. For me, I'd just be glad to have you with me. I really want you on my team after this is all done, just so you know."

Pikachu didn't respond, not that she could have understood even if it had tried. What she wanted was irrelevant. What Pikachu wanted, it didn't want to dwell further on.

"I suppose you think that kid will decide you aren't useless after all when we get this overpowered pokemon for ourselves," Cassidy said. She waited for Pikachu to respond, but it didn't. She closed her eyes, looking away. "Well, I guess you won't know until after we try, hm?"

"Pi," Pikachu said, grimacing as it was forced to further consider the situation. Aegislash was an appropriate target for its frustration. Just attacking Team Rocket's pokemon like it had done the other day meant nothing. Defeating Aegislash might mean something. It may as well join its former enemies in doing so.

Cassidy picked Pikachu up. Pikachu allowed her to without comment. Being held like this and carried around for a bit was nice, actually. As Pikachu started to relax, it looked at her arm, noticing the large red mark. "Pika?" it said in alarm.

"Don't worry about it," Cassidy said. "That's all a part of pokemon training."

Pikachu's eyes widened as it realized that its attack the previous day had been the cause of the injury. Part of pokemon training? Pikachu didn't want to be a part of something like that. It didn't want to hurt and hate before either it eventually decided to obey or the human eventually decided to abandon it. Even though that was exactly it had done. Not just with this Team Rocket member, but several times before.

Even so, this human hadn't treated it so bad. She hadn't told it to straighten up or else it would have nothing. Though if it did something this bad, abandonment was something it might have to expect. "Pika," Pikachu said apologetically, touching the injury as it did.

Cassidy gave Pikachu a hug with a smile on her face. Afterward, she wandered over to James. "Get that pokemon ready. It's about time we go."

James let Honedge out of its pokeball. It spun around, raised itself up before floating down to eye level with the humans. James took out the key, gripping it tightly in his hand. "After today, I promise I'll break that seal," he said to Honedge. Honedge clinked its excitement about the prospect in response. "Then you can just ask if you want to be released."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Meowth said. "If what that guy says is true, then we'll lose Jessie, and she has the most pokemon. Maybe you should keep this one."

"Um.." James looked away in his discomfort.

"Are you sure she'd really leave? I bet you can convince her not to," Meowth said.

"That's-" James began.

"What are you two talking about? Aren't you ready yet?" Jessie asked.

James shuddered in surprise upon noticing that Jessie was so close, but Meowth was unaffected. "We were talking about you! You want to dump us to go off with that guy over there once we're done here? Don't you think that-"

"That's enough, Meowth," James said quietly. He glanced up at Jessie afterward. "I'm ready."

Jessie nodded in return. She frowned as she thought of the topic that Meowth had brought up. If she did want everything Butch said he could offer, that would mean she'd have to leave them, and everything she'd worked for behind. She could stay in Team Rocket, too, she insisted to herself, but even then things wouldn't stay the same as they had been.

Though these thoughts had struck her for the first time, Jessie put aside her considerations as the group officially assembled for their mission.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note_  
 _Very sorry for the delay. You all can read my profile if you care why. This is the last chapter other than the epilogue, which I'll post tomorrow._

 **11**

Ash stared at his pokedex, thinking of the many pokemon he was supposed to meet in the Kalos region. Aegislash and its pre evolutions were the only he had met so far, but there were still many others. He'd see all the region had to offer eventually, Aegislash had said, before going off to other regions. He had to limit his team to ghost types when it came to battling with them though. They were the only compatible teammates for Aegislash's spectral power. With that, Ash was going have all kinds of adventures, all while doing so much good in the world.

Why did it seem like Pikachu didn't understand that? Maybe Ash hadn't explained things properly. There had been more going on at the time, like Team Rocket's invasion of the spectral world.

That was it - Team Rocket. Ash stood up straighter as he thought of it. They weren't at all above using various brain washing, mind controlling devices on pokemon. So they could have again, and that would explain why Pikachu had been so hostile all of a sudden. Ash would just have to save it.

Already looking up through the missing ceiling to the astral void, Ash saw the pokemon approaching. As the group of honedge reached him, they all cried their clinky call at once. Ash blinked, not able to understand them even if they were to go one at a time. "Um..." he began.

Before Ash could ask anything more, such as for them to go get Aegislash which could communicate in human words, a vision entered his mind. There they were - Team Rocket. Jessie, James, and Meowth, as well as the two that had joined up with them once they'd gotten to Kalos. And Pikachu was there with them, as if part of the group. Floating through the void with a stray honedge, the rockets were certainly headed Ash's way again.

"Thanks guys," Ash said. He went down the hall and through the double doors, eventually going to the outside. In front of the castle, a barren stretch of land went out a ways before it dropped out into the void. Going out into the center of the dirt, Ash could best see in all directions.

It wasn't long before Aegislash appeared next to him. "I apologize for this inconvenience, my king."

"It's not your fault," Ash said, still looking out into the void for the signs of the real bad guys, Team Rocket.

"It is. Their continued intrusion is due to the disloyalty of one of our very own honedge," Aegislash explained.

Ash smiled at Aegislash. "It's okay," he assured. "Honedge could have been influenced, just like Pikachu was."

"In any case, the fault rests on me, the one who should have seen the threads of fate that would have predicted this outcome. But rest assured, we'll deal with this problem right here and now.

"Yeah," Ash said, clenching his fists with a grin. This should be no problem for his powerful new friends. "Let's go!"

Ash pointed forward as the rockets appeared. The group of them had floated through the air with honedge's spectral power. Once they reached the very edge of the land floating in the middle of the nothingness of Aegislash's world, they were able to put their feet on solid ground.

"Go, Houndoom!" Cassidy shouted, being the first to throw out a pokeball the moment they did.

"Charizard!" Butch followed her, throwing out his own.

"Yamask!" James sent out his own to fight in place of honedge.

"Frillish!" Jessie finished with her own.

"Team Rocket," Ash said hatefully. He tried to catch Pikachu's attention with his gaze a moment, but Pikachu didn't look his way. There were other things to take care of in the immediate moment, such as the invaders in front of him.

"Four against one? That's a little much for even you, isn't it twerp?" Jessie said.

"Aegislash! Let's attack them!" Ash said. "Shadow sneak!"

The Team Rocket members also shouted various attacks, fire and ghost types to take advantage of Aegislash's weaknesses. Aegislash changed to its attack forme, quickly knocking out Frillish and Yamask in one hit. As Charizard and Houndoom's fiery attacks hit it, Aegislash still seemed mostly unaffected, even in its more vulnerable forme.

Ash smirked at the rockets as he slowly walked closer to them. "Aegislash, sacred sword!" he ordered.

"Houndoom, flame thrower!" Cassidy shouted.

"Charizard, you too!" Butch ordered.

Even as both fire type attacks hit, Aegislash easily swiped and knocked out both pokemon. "Do you want to try again with something else?" Ash asked.

"The twerp's intense," James muttered.

"Pikapi," Pikachu muttered.

Ash's face softened as he finally met eyes with his first pokemon. "Pikachu!" he said, reaching out his arms.

Cassidy considered returning it since their original tries had been defeated so easily, but then considered that Ash might not order Aegislash not to attack his former pokemon. "Pikachu, try a thunderbolt attack," she suggested.

Pikachu looked at Ash's open arms as it listened to the order to attack. It glared at Aegislash. Pikachu had never hated Ash's other pokemon. It was perfectly willing to share its friends with others. It was just this selfish pokemon that insisted that Pikachu couldn't be around at all. "Pika CHUU!" Pikachu shouted before firing the very best thunderbolt it could at the now hated pokemon.

Though it wasn't weak to these kind of attacks, Aegislash seemed to lose control of its floating stance for just a moment, and it faltered before reverting to a defensive forme then floated closer to Ash. "My king, I know your reservations, but I may need to defend myself here."

"What did you guys do to it," Ash asked as he clenched his jaw. "Pikachu wouldn't work for you on its own! You did some mind control thing or something, didn't you?"

"That would have been a good idea," James commented.

"Then we could have kept Pikachu instead of having her train it," Jessie said, folding her arms.

"We didn't have the resources for something like that anyway," Meowth commented with a shrug.

"Then why would you do this, Pikachu?" Ash shouted.

Pikachu met Ash's eyes in a moment of silence before it spoke. "Pika, pikapi," it explained. Even if spoken in human words, Pikachu was starting to doubt that Ash would even understand.

"Pikachu, try the same attack again," Cassidy ordered.

Pikachu didn't hesitate this time. "CHUU!" it shouted, attacking Aegislash again, while moving to a good vantage point to repeat the move.

This time, Aegislash didn't seem affected at all, but still tried to get out Pikachu's way. "My king, just give your order," it said.

"Pikachu, keep attacking with thunderbolt!" Cassidy ordered. "I was afraid of this," she muttered to the rest of the group as Pikachu followed along.

"What's that?" Jessie asked.

"I heard of this defensive ability that Aegislash has. It makes it very hard to defeat, but not impossible. Get out your pokemon!"

The rest of the rockets sent out their secondary pokemon, ordering them to do various attacks. Ash ordered Aegislash to continue with various attacks as it was bombarded. Seeing Pikachu continue to attack his current pokemon, Ash's face contorted in pain. "Pikachu, stop!" he said. "I don't get why you're doing this!"

James shouted another attack order to his amoongus while returning his knocked out carnivine. He shook his head at Ash. Even James understood Pikachu's actions. Ash was going to abandon it, from everything Meowth had told them about the events he'd missed out on while getting Honedge's key. James took the item in his hands, considering Jessie and Butch before returning amoongus to its pokeball as Aegislash knocked it out. He could still avoid being left behind himself, and cut the thread of fate between them. It didn't look like Honedge's ability to sever one single strand of fate permanently would be of any use in this one-sided battle anyway.

Finally, every pokemon on the rockets' side other than Pikachu was knocked out. Ash still refused to order an attack on Pikachu specifically. Both Pikachu and Aegislash appeared weary, Aegislash floating lower to the ground and Pikachu breathing heavily, even as it attacked Aegislash yet again.

"I don't think your electric rat can win," Butch commented.

"Give it a chance," Cassidy said. "It defeated all of us pretty easily."

"Call it back, and let's get out."

Cassidy considered if she should take Butch's suggestion or not. It may be a good idea, but Pikachu itself wasn't ready to quite just yet. "Pikachu," she began, but then paused.

A wall of honedge now surrounded them, all focusing their gaze at Pikachu specifically. As Pikachu's electricity sparked, it reflected off of all them, lighting up the area. As Ash moved, the large group of honedge shifted their bodies toward him. Ash only shook his head. "I can't believe you guys even did this," he said. "Pikachu shouldn't be working for Team Rocket!"

"Who says it's working for us," Cassidy said. Sure, Pikachu was now following her orders, but it was doing so for its own reasons. Cassidy could relate.

"It won't matter anyway," Ash said. "We're about to beat you, and then the first thing I'll do when I get back to Kanto is make sure to destroy Team Rocket."

"We'll cut the important threads of anyone in the organization, and then use our force to destroy what's left from there!" Aegislash promised. "Don't worry, my king. I apologize for having tied threads of fate from this group to you in order to lead you here, but now I'll be sure to utterly eliminate them to repent."

"Maybe you can beat us today, but you can't think it will be that easy to beat all of Team Rocket!" Jessie said.

"Right," Meowth said tentatively, thinking of ghosts and curses. "Maybe we should start apologizing and talking about how we're good now," it commented to James.

James had similar feelings of apprehension, but noted Jessie didn't seem concerned at all. Her words implied confidence, but maybe her reaction was more because she'd been planing on leaving soon anyway. If so, Aegislash's wrath wouldn't affect her much.

James didn't want that to happen. He wanted her to stay, and work toward the goals that they'd all talked about together for years. But maybe Jessie did want, as Butch put it, 'a real life'. This kind of life they had was tiring, full of setbacks, hardship, and frustration. Maybe she'd be happy, settling down and getting married to him, having children and enjoying all of the conventional happiness of that kind of life.

No, James thought to himself. There was no more guarantee of happiness there than anywhere else. He knew that better than most, having run and given up both his family and promise of inheriting their fortune in order to avoid what would certainly be a lifetime of misery. Even though his parents told him that he'd only reach happiness by marrying, he knew it was a lie.

But Jessie did like this guy, and he seemed to care about her. So maybe that kind of life could be happy for her. It was to a few people, anyway. Maybe staying with Team Rocket, with James himself who'd never offer her anything resembling that conventional vision of happiness, would hold her back. It might make her 'give up her life', or something along those lines.

Jessie shouldn't have to give up anything for him. James knew he was selfish for having even considered cutting the thread of fate between her and the person she now reserved her affection for. It hurt, like nothing else, feeling like a persistent wound to his chest, but it was her choice. He had no right to hold her back.

There was only one thread of fate he needed to cut here.

"Honedge," James said seriously, gripping the key tightly in his hand. Honedge floated to his side right away, long eager for this moment. James held out the key, then affixed it Honedge's seal. Honedge then flew into James's hand, causing him to wield the pokemon the same as any sword.

"Ah," James gasped as he found his vision shifted. He could now see several threads of red clearly in front of him. Honedge pulled itself forward. "No," James said quickly as he saw it was toward Jessie. "That's not what's important."

James turned the other way. He purposefully blinked several times, seeing a different set of threads each time. His attention was caught by the thickest one. Looking from side to side, he realized it was the one he truly needed to sever.

Before anyone could stop him, James ran forward, racing through the hall of honedge. Aegislash shifted back to its defence mode, but James wasn't aiming for the pokemon at all, rather something that connected it to another.

"You-" Aegislash said in shock as James severed the thread.

James's vision went back to normal as he let go of Honedge. He looked at Aegislash with a smirk. "You can't influence the world on your own, can you?" Nearby, Ash fell to the ground, his eyes wide open with an empty expression, no longer conscious. James glanced at the kid before looking back at Aegislash. "Now he'll never be your king."

"Do you realize what you've done?" Aegislash said. The Aegislash echoed its discontent like clanking chains. "One like him comes along only once in a few centuries."

"Hmph." James confidently grinned. Then he dropped the charade and began to run.

"Pikapi," Pikachu said with concern as Ash's figure started to dissolve away.

"He's alright," Cassidy assured as she came closer to Pikachu. "I just doubt he can be in Aegislash's world with no connection to it. We shouldn't stay either, actually."

"Pi," Pikachu said right before Cassidy returned it to its pokeball. All of the rockets went to where their ally Honedge had prepared an escape, dodging the mournful cries and swipes of others along the way before finally returning to the real world.

* * *

As soon as they had returned, the rockets kept running before they stopped, breathing heavily. After gaining back a little energy, Meowth was ready to strike. "What do you think you were doing, James?! Now that pokemon has no reason to stay with us, and we can't get back!"

"I-" James began, holding a hand to his face to protect it from Meowth's scratches.

"He was actually thinking pretty clearly," Cassidy said.

"Even though we'll now have to abandon this place with nothing?" Butch asked.

"No. Well, you see, Aegislash was pretty powerful. And that was just by itself, before its honedge friends came onto the scene, so I don't think even a large group of Team Rocket members could have won. And yet, both it and its trainer had a grudge against us." Cassidy finished, standing up and brushing herself off.

"That's true," Butch admitted.

"Right, since Aegislash is so obsessed with kings, it won't go after us on its own. It'll be real busy looking for a new king," Meowth said. "The boss will be happy we got rid of another of his enemies!" it concluded with a grin.

"Right. I guess we're done here. Nice job, James," Cassidy complimented.

James nodded. He looked toward Jessie, who was already being comforted by the guy she really cared about. James looked away, not wanting to see any more of that. "We're going back to Kanto then, right?" he asked Cassidy.

"I can't see any more reason to stay. Unless you want to give catching it another shot?"

Cassidy has meant the suggestion in jest, but James shook his head seriously. "No," he said, glancing again toward Jessie and Butch before turning away. "I just want to go."

With that, James picked up a bag, ready to get as far from there as he could. "Hey! Where are you headed?" Meowth asked, heading after him.

His exit didn't miss Jessie's eyes either. Now that the mission had failed to completion, she could consider things further here. She could be with Butch all she wanted. She could stay with him every night, and travel around as a Team Rocket member while enjoying all of that. Maybe she could even quit and find something different. She'd never thought she'd really have a family.

But things would change, Jessie thought, her hold on her lover's hand loosening. She couldn't just keep James with her like a pet. She'd have to be willing to give him up completely. He wasn't going to stay and give up his life to watch her discover something new. She could have her new life, but then James would go away, likely forever.

"Everything okay?" Butch asked, since Jessie had stopped responding to him, now staring into nowhere.

"Yeah," Jessie said. She was just fine, it was James that was hurt. Even though she'd insisted he shouldn't be at all, she should have know he would have been. By ignoring various things like that, Jessie had let herself get into a position where she couldn't avoid hurting someone. It was time to face the music. Before they all returned to Kanto, she had to stop dwelling on various fantasies and figure out what she wanted her current reality to be like.


	12. Epilogue

_Final Author's Notes_

 _As promised yesterday, well, only a few hours ago, here's the epilogue. Again, sorry for the delay for these last two parts. I did mean to finish posting this in July, but lack of any kind of feedback for these later chapters kind of sent my motivation to zero any time I thought of posting even though the story was already written. Oops, not supposed to say that much. I do want to keep my promise to finish my fics, and I can tell by the hit count plenty of people read, so here's the last part for anyone that might be waiting. Why not share your thoughts on the story in general as you finish? Don't worry, I won't hold my breath. :p_

 _Well, on the story in general, I'm very glad I finish it and re-reading reminded me why I write in general in the first place. No regrets, in fact, the opposite!_

 _Keep in mind I did start this story way before XY63. As that episode was about to air I was getting close to the end of the first draft and like oh crap this episode could touch on some of the topics that I do. I watched it and decided that yeah it did, heh, but my story works well as an AU version of events, and is really pretty different with more going on besides. The episode was probably my least favorite Team Rocket-centric episode, anyway. I had been thinking the Jessie/Butch side of the love triangle in this story might be rushed, but here some guy smiles at Jessie (or Musashi, I haven't watched the dub since early DP) and is nice to her then the 10-year-old girl wonders if they'll get married and Jessie thinks they will. Huh? Meowth was right to want to "wake her up" but James was the one that stopped it from confronting her I recall. I liked how Wobbuffet returned because it wanted to, but I wasn't really satisfied with how they ended things otherwise. Lots of drama over Jessie having the promise of something she didn't and then giving something up, though she plainly wasn't._

 _Will people feel similarly about my ending? Here's the end of the too long author's notes so read it and let me know._

 **Epilogue**

James pulled his hat over his eyes after checking in with the airline. Meowth followed at his feet as they slowly walked to the gate. "Hey, you," James heard a familiar voice over the various other conversations going on in the airport. He stopped suddenly, and turned around despite himself. Seeing Jessie, James's eyes widened before he turned away on impulse.

Jessie went over to him, pulling the hat off his head. "I've been trying to get hold of you. You think it was okay to just run off without me? In a strange region, too."

"Don't worry, Jessie," James said. He attempted to smile, though he could only turned to face her a moment before looking away. "I understand what you want to do. I wouldn't stand in your way."

"So you'd just run off without even saying good-bye instead?" Jessie asked with a harsh tone as she folded her arms.

"Sorry," James said. He turned around to face her, but at the same time could only look toward the ground, clenching his eyes shut. "I'll say it... Now."

"Who says I wanted to say good-bye at all?" Jessie said casually. "Meowth, give me the ticket," she said. "Good, we're on the same flight," she said.

"Glad you're still with us, Jess," Meowth said as it took the ticket back.

"You couldn't get rid of me that easily," Jessie said.

"Stop," James said, holding out his hands.

"Stop what?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, you were hoping for this, right?" Meowth also asked.

"You don't have to do this, Jessie," James asked.

"Do what exactly?" Jessie asked, folding her arms.

"You don't have to leave him, and give up your life, just for me," James said.

"Now you're the one that needs to stop," Jessie said with a scowl. "Give us a minute, Meowth," she said, shooing away her pokemon friend.

As Meowth went toward the gate, Jessie put her arm around James. He shuddered from the contact since he hadn't been expecting it. It was something he'd wanted, to be able to exchange casual affection like this again. It couldn't mean what he wanted it to, though. "I'll be fine, if you go," James assured. Despite his words, he frowned, almost trembling as he thought of never seeing her again.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jessie said. "And what's with this 'give my life up' thing you're talking about? It's pathetic for you to talk like you're really that worthless. I can't help you there."

"I love you," James admitted. He couldn't help but be pleased as he saw Jessie react positively toward that confession, smiling warmly. "But I can't give you what you want. So you'd have to-"

"We'll figure it out," Jessie assured. "Maybe I'll have to give up some things. But I'd be giving up more by going with him."

"Don't you like him?" James asked.

Jessie nodded. "He's alright."

"You wouldn't have to give up anything with him," James said, frowning.

"Come on, James! Cut it out already! Don't you get it, I'd have to give up you to be with him!" Jessie shouted.

James winced at her change in demeanor, but then smiled. "Do I really... Do I really mean that much to you?"

"I guess you do," Jessie said. She pulled away from James, sighing happily. She'd thought she'd have some regrets by making this choice, but all she felt now was relief, and joy that James still wanted her around after what she'd done. "I don't know if I'm the marrying type anyway. Plus kids can be little brats, so I don't know if I'd ever want any."

"Jessie-"

"And besides, I love you," Jessie admitted. "Let's find out what we can do next, together."

James nodded, his expression lightening completely. James smiled in genuine joy, grabbing Jessie's hand. They walked over to Meowth, who stood looking impatient by the gate. They were heroes that had saved Team Rocket from yet another enemy, and their next adventure awaited them.

"Looks like the coast is clear," Cassidy said to Butch as she watched her rivals go closer to the gate.

"Can't we delay our flight?" Butch said.

"There's not another direct to home until the weekend. We can't let those two get ahead of us," Cassidy said. "But we can avoid them on the flight," she quickly added.

"Yeah, fine," Butch agreed.

"Sorry about all this. I really did hope things worked out," Cassidy consoled.

"So I failed to find true love in less than a week. What a shock," Butch said sarcastically, though his face betrayed his true disappointment.

Cassidy decided not to talk about the topic any further, instead hugged the cute little electric type she was holding. "I didn't fail in that aspect on this trip at least," she said.

"Pika?" Pikachu said.

"Are you going to keep that thing out all flight?" Butch asked.

"I don't think it likes being in pokeballs," Cassidy explained.

"You're gonna spoil it."

"Maybe," Cassidy said. Despite the admission, she only hugged Pikachu again.

As she did, another familiar face walked by. Ash looked around for the right gate, glancing upward at each one before looking back to his ticket. "Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted, pushing to get out of Cassidy's grip. She let it go without much resistance. "Pi... pi..." Pikachu said as it ran toward its friend, excited about seeing his face.

"Pikachu!" Ash said. He opened his arms to Pikachu. Pikachu stopped, remembering the last time it had seen that gesture. Ash had reached out to it, only to return it to its lonely hell. With the same happy face and inviting pose, Ash had planned to abandon it so easily, with no one.

As Pikachu stood at a slight distance, Ash dropped his hand before reaching up and scratching his head. "Something happened, and I still couldn't find you. I have to go home, if room opens up on this flight. But we'll be back later, or go some place even better."

Pikachu again recalled the excitement of visiting a new town or whole new region with Ash, not knowing what to expect. But at the same time, it recalled how Ash had been just as happy to be able to explore Kalos, and then the rest of the world while leaving Pikachu alone, since it didn't fit in his decided new life.

Whatever James had done had affected Ash's memory. Maybe he didn't remember making the choice to abandon Pikachu, or maybe he did. Either way, Pikachu knew now that the option was in Ash's mind as something that was perfectly reasonable.

"Pikachu? Come on buddy, let's go," Ash said.

"Pi," Pikachu said, backing away. Even now it thought of the very real possibility of Ash coming to the conclusion to leave it again. The idea wasn't reasonable at all to Pikachu, but incredibly painful. It couldn't even look at Ash now, remembering what had happened. Feeling the thread inside it snap, Pikachu turned away, seeing the Team Rocket member that had adopted it nearby, watching it closely. Pikachu ran toward the person that had insisted she needed it to stay.

As it reached her, Cassidy let Pikachu hop into her arms. It took a moment to enjoy that acceptance, and then glanced back at Ash. The first trainer Pikachu had ever truly trusted had an expression of confused concern on his face. He bit his lip, looking hurt himself. Pikachu looked up at Cassidy's face, who appeared pleased that it had returned to her.

As Pikachu looked back toward where Ash had been, he was gone.


End file.
